What do you do after you are rejected again and again? How do you pick up the pieces and continue on? “It must be me or that wouldn’t happen so many times.” This is not true. There are many factors that come into play with relationships. It isn’t that cut and dry. Rejected and Torn!

There were so many times in my life that I was rejected. It happened first with my father and then continued on year after year. It seemed like the more I wanted to be accepted, the further I got from it. There was a song called, “Looking for love in all the wrong places.” This was me. What was worse was the places I didn’t look was where it actually existed.

I was this scared kid growing up. I think I coped by overachieving in school. I found something I was good at and just kept going. I became good at a lot of things and then I couldn’t figure out what I liked the best. I got bored real easy when things were no longer challenging. I tried so many things but I’d usually quit before I’d reach the top. Each path I went down didn’t have the destiny I wanted. Most of them were just illusions. They made you feel good for a while, but my heart was still empty inside.

I remember talking to the Lord as a child about 5 years old and then occasionally throughout my childhood. My parents took me to church, but they didn’t live the life. The preachers preached about this Jesus, but I don’t think they knew much of Him. When I was sixteen, I gave my heart to Him and he became real to me. I still didn’t understand much though and so I still went my own way. I was very trusting of people when I was young, but then things changed. I guess the more people let you down the less trusting you become. Yet, through it all I knew the Lord would never let me down. I was to need this conviction to make it through many storms to come.

The most interesting thing about growing up is that the Lord never rejected me. I always knew He was near. I didn’t do things the right way. I went down some wrong paths, but He was always with me. I’ve experienced some things and I can say, “I’ve been there.” I also found out that most of the rejections had absolutely nothing to do with me. I was okay. The Lord created me just the way He desired. Who was I to tell Him otherwise.

We are each unique. There is no one else like us. If we are rejected, we can get comfort in the fact that He was too. The world doesn’t understand His love. It is foolishness to them. They don’t understand the power of true love. The Lord watches over us. We are the apple of His eye.

We have something they don’t have. We are loved. We have purpose and a destiny. We are accepted. We don’t have to be right. We don’t have to perform. It doesn’t matter if someone else wins. We are secure in who we are. We are at rest and we have someone we can trust with our lives.

So, if someone wants to reject us, let them. I will still love them. They need to find this love. I hope I’ve somehow given them a taste. I can’t make them want Him. I can only introduce them. Jesus doesn’t push Himself on anyone. He is a gentleman. He stands at the door of each person’s heart just waiting to be invited in.

If you don’t know Him, will you be the one to let Him in? Will you dare to find out who He really is? Will you dare to believe that maybe there is a better way? There really is truth out here, but you can only find it if you search for it with all of your heart. Is it worth it? Only you can answer that question. As for me, the answer is simply, “yes!” Do I have everything I want or desire? “No.” I do have everything I need. I have His love. He has mended so many fences. I have my family and though its been broken and separated, there is still the love. I have a ways to go and I look forward to the journey. I would like to meet each one who reads these posts one day, and maybe someday I will. I just want you to know, “YOU are worth it.” There is a reason you are reading this. It isn’t coincidence. No matter what has or is happening in your life, tomorrow can be a brand new day. It all starts with what you do next. Tell Jesus you want to get to know Him. Ask Him to be your friend. Ask Him to teach you and guide you the way He wants you to go. Become His friend and share your heart with Him. It is worth it and you’ll never regret it. We may not always understand, but if we endure, time will prove He has His best in store for us. Rejected and torn. No, accepted and healed!

Joseph