by Jannett Morrow
re·jec·tion
/rəˈjekSHən/ - noun
the dismissing or refusing of a proposal, idea, etc.
How much do you love rejection? Does it leave you tingly when it happens to you?
What kind of questions are these, you say? Well, I agree with you. These are not good questions, but necessary. They get you thinking on how rejection makes you feel.
Did you know that you can be helped by being rejected. It can help you to be a better person. It can help you to draw out more of who you really are. Even as I write this, I am cringing. Rejection for me has not made me feel very helped. However, on the other hand, I can see how it has helped me.
It’s made me stronger and more alert of my interactions and how I operate. Along with helping me to see my value. Has this happened to you?
Take a moment to reflect on what rejection has done for. Have you moved past a time of rejection? Can you see how it has helped you? If you have not, how is it hurting or hindering you? This is important for you to know. How you respond can let you know some areas you may want to work on. Your greatness coming forth, relies on you moving past things that have come to hinder you, like rejection.
Rejection comes to oppose you. Stop you. Hinder you. Make you feel small. Make you feel like you don’t matter. Make you feel unloved or cared about. Derail you. Detour you and so much more. It can prevail with its objective if you allow it. Don’t allow it.
There is an initial sting, for sure. When something like rejection comes out of the blue, it can sting. It does not make you feel good. It can have lasting effects that can leave you a bit disoriented about your value. How do you see your value or worth right now?
Do you know that you are still valuable? You still have much to give and contribute to the world. You really do!
Its Power Is Strong
Wait, rejection has a power? Yes! It can make you want to stop and give up. Make you not want to try again or press on. It can make you feel “less than.” It can stop you in your forward motion.
It screams at you, “I told you; you could not do this.” “Why did you think you could do this in the first place?” “You were never good for this anyway!” Among other things.
Can I tell you that these thoughts are all lies. Lies, that if you give into them, can sabotage your greatness from coming out. Don’t allow that!
Rejection is always present to be a stumbling block for you. A mountain that you need to climb over to get to the other side. Something that comes to alter your perceptions, behavior, and actions. Some people handle it well. Some people do not.
Those who handle it well, are the ones who generally are stronger because of it. They harness the negative aspect of it and draw out a lesson that helps them to move forward in victory anyhow. Are you this person? I really hope so. If not, today is still a good day to re-direct how rejection has or is affecting you.
Blessings can come hidden in undesirable situations. God is able to turn around things that are meant for your demise for good. He wants to do that for you.
What Defines You?
We live in a culture that tells us that we are defined by what “it” says. What we should or should not eat. How we should dress or not dress. What we should buy and should not buy, etc. Who are you really? Who “they” say or who you say? Although, some boundaries are wise, we still need to know who we really are.
So, the same is true about what you allow rejection to define you as. It says you will quit. Is this true? It says you will give up. Is this true? It says you have nothing to offer. Is this true? I hope the answers you give are, “No, these are not true!”
You must press past the negative feelings, the sting of it and say to yourself, “you will make it through”. “You must make it through.” This does not define you. You are better than this moment. Have I stirred you up yet? Come on! Don’t quit! Shake it off and regroup!
Just like a boxer does when he has received a serious blow. He shakes it off. Resettles himself and gets back at it. You can do the same.
Their Loss Your Gain
When you think about it, are you better off now then, when you were in the situation you got rejected? For me, I can honestly say, yes! Did not feel good at all at the time, however, I am better off now. How about you?
I am better off now because I decided to learn and grow from that moment. I decided that I was not going to be stuck in anger, bitterness and unforgiveness about it.
A decision to not be stuck is needed. Have you made it?
Just like anything in life that needs to be done, a decision is needed if you will or will not do it. Will you get it done or not. So, for rejection your decision is whether you will let it stop you or not.
Not all rejection is the same. However, again, if you handle it well, you can learn from it. A job rejection, if it’s from an interview, can help you adjust somethings for your next interview. If you got some feedback on areas of improvement, then that rejection can turn into the next job interview resulting into a job offer.
If the rejection comes from being fired from a job, it does not feel good, especially when you did not see it coming or it was not warranted, but this too can help you become a better person. This can lead you to do something else that you did not think of before and lead to great success.
If the rejection comes from a divorce, if you did not ask for it can really hurt, but from this too, you can bounce back from to your advantage. If you stay teachable, you can use this rejection to keep your self-worth intact, despite the divorce happening. It’s possible.
All of these types of rejections can help you become a better person and learn more about yourself, if you let it.
If you have been mistreated and made to feel like you are not enough, just know that you are enough and worthy of being treated right. They, whomever “they” may be, don’t deserve to have your greatness around them. Be around those who appreciate you, it’s ok.
Learn to appreciate yourself also. Not all the time does the acceptance and recognition have to come from the outside world. You recognize that you are great regardless of the rejection. You accept yourself regardless of the rejection. Acknowledge yourself and know that, again, you matter and have great things to offer. Because you do!
4 Ways To Embrace Its Power
1. Use It As A Steppingstone
Steppingstones can be obstacles that help you move up in life if you use them as such. They can take you higher and again, make you stronger. Rejection has a way to leave you helpless. However, it takes you rising up in the strength that God has given you to not let it. You have the help you need; you just need to harness it. Rally up the muster to keep moving forward. You can do it!
2. Let It Make You Stronger
When you refuse to me stopped by someone or something rejecting you and your greatness, you walk in victory. You start to express more of who God has called you to be. More than a conqueror and victorious. Strong in Him. This is the truth you should build yourself up in. Truth that helps you to get stronger in who you are. Strength that rises up against anything that tries to lie to you about how you should see yourself. You matter and have a lot to offer society.
3. Do The Opposite Of Its Intent
When you respond in away that is opposite of how you were expected to react, you take the sting or power out of that rejection that came to take you out. You take away the desired result of you quitting and giving up. The result of you breaking down and retreating to a corner in isolation. Please don’t give in. You are better than that. Fight back and don’t give in!
4. Become Greater Because Of It
The end result of you rising above the rejection will be a blessing not only to you but to others. Your focus will be better and sharper. Because of this, you will be unfolding more of your potential and purpose. Your gifts and talents will start to be expressed at greater levels and solutions to problem will flow even more from you. This is a part of you manifesting your greatness. Greatness that won’t be stopped from making a difference. Be encouraged to know that you are not alone and are well able to move past what rejection tried to do. You got this!
Be Strong!
This good!