Wilderness of Rejection

"Even on my weakest days,I get a litte bit stronger." -Sara Evans

When I was checking my facebook today and saw a link that a friend had posted about a girl who committed suicide over a break-up.Now I didn't click on it and watch it because I knew my heart couldn't take it, but my heart still broke over how many girls/guys take their lives over break-ups. Some may never go to that extreme, but I see it all the time how break-ups can destroy a persons heart!! It got me thinking how important it is to help girls (just because I can't relate to a guy), learn how to handle break-ups. The next few blog posts I do,I think, are going to be directed at this very thing...using excerpts from the book "Wilderness Skills for Women: how to survive break-ups and other full blown melt downs" by Marian Jordan. First watch the video for Sara Evans song "A little bit stronger." I love this song because it is a song of hope. That even when something happens that breaks our hearts, as each day passes as we lean on the Lord, you will get a little bit stronger!!



Perspective is extremely important in wilderness survival. Perspective proves crucial whether lost in the Sierra Nevada or in a wilderness of rejection. Girls, as followers of Jesus Christ and daughters of the Most High God, whenever we face a circumstance that seems like rejection, we need to take a hike up a little mountain (actually it is quite massive, a summit that I like to call The Sovereignty of God) and look at our situation from that vantage point. To say that God is sovereign means He rules and reigns over His creation- to know He is actively working and involved in your life and causing the circumstances of your life to work for a purpose. Translation: God isn’t sitting up in heaven saying “Ooops, I really dropped the ball on that one!” This aspect of God’s character is the rock upon which we stand in the wilderness of rejection. We don’t fear , we do not dread, we do not lose hope because we know He is in control. So, when the sting of rejection hits, we can say “This circumstance was filtered through the sovereign hands of my God. We have this promise from God’s Word: “God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28) Hmm…Let’s think about this one for a second. What would be included in that “all things” category?

-a heartbreak ? Check
-being fired? Check
-ridicule? Check
-not being picked for kickball…lol? Check
-Abuse? Check
-neglect? Check
-Abandonment? Check

When God says “all things,” He means all things, Recap. Think about how God worked all things for good in the life of Joseph. Consider these awesome facts, and see the greater purpose as it plays out:
-if Joseph’s brothers never sell him to the Midianites, then Joseph never goes to Egypt.
-if Joseph never goes to Egypt, he is never sold to Potiphar
-If he is never sold to Potiphar, Potophar’s wife never falsely accuses his of rape
-If Potiphar’s wife never falsely accuses him of rape, then he is never put into prison
If he is never put in prison, he never meets the baker and butler of pharaoh
-If he never meets the baker and butler of Pharaoh, he never interprets their dreams
-if he never interprets their dreams, he never gets to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams
-if he never gets to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, he never is made prime minister
-if he is never made prime minister, he never wisely administers for the severe famine coming upon the region
-If he never wisely administrates for the severe famine coming upon the region, then his family back in Canaan perishes from the famine
-if his family back in Canaan perishes from the famine, the Messiah can’t come from a dead family
-If the Messiah can’t come forth, then Jesus never came
-If Jesus never came, you are dead in your sins and without hope in this world

What seemed like rejection truly was God’s protection. When we choose to look at out circumstances from the summit of God’s sovereignty, we are given the gift of peace that comes only from prospective. Granted, we may never know why some things happen. Knowing why is a rare gift that God sometimes gives to us- it is not something we are entitled to. Faith trusts Him when we don’t get our reason. “
Now, let’s say it all together, “WHAT SEEMS LIKE REJECTION IS GOD’S PROTECTION!”

 When we stop for a minute and look at rejection from the prospective of God’s sovereignty, we realize:
-If I am not with that guy, it is because that relationship is not God’ best
-If I am rejected by that particular group of girls, then God had a really good reason for allowing that to happen.
-If I am rejected by that company, then maybe God has a better plan or His purpose is different.

For the girl who is walking in God’s will (obeying, trusting, and loving Jesus) she can know that the circumstances of her life are filtered through the sovereign hands of a God who knows what He is doing, even if she doesn’t “get it” yet. When rejection hit my heart like a bomb, I couldn’t fathom the incredible purpose God had in allowing it to happen. My vision- being small, limited, and shortsighted- only saw my heart bleeding. But God saw my destiny. He saw His purpose for my life unfolding and how a broken heart would propel me into a heart to minister to girls and women for Jesus Christ. To love on children and be Christ to them each day in an afterschool program, the desire to lead worship come to fruition, the opportunities to serve with ministries who help women get out of sex trafficking,  go to Nicaragua and develop a heart for missions, and a pure desire to still be married one day, but it is balanced now and not the idol it was for so long. It was a desire that I had trusted fully to the Lord. I had NO idea all that would come out of it. When you let go and let God…he will BLOW YOUR MIND (1 Corinthians 2:9 tells us), with what He will do in you.

A few years ago some friends of mine had the “brilliant” idea to get up early on Friday mornings (yes I said mornings, as in more than one morning), and go walk Kennesaw, Mt. Now, Friday was the only morning I didn’t have to work. At the time I was working two jobs, so the idea of sleeping in on a Friday morning sounded like a much better idea. But, I was feeling ambitious I guess, and thought it would be good exercise, so I decided to join. And, as always I find away to drag Jacinta (my best friend) along. Now walking Kennesaw, Mt is not an easy task; there is a reason it is called a mountain and not a hill. So walking up the mountain there were many times I thought that walking back down sounded like a MUCH better idea. But Paige and Jacinta kept pushing and encouraging me to not give up. I like hiking once you get to where you’re going; it’s the actually walking up a Mountain, that isn’t always appealing. But once we made it up to the top it is always worth the work to get up there. Same goes in our walk with God. He knows that His plan is better than our plans.I couldn't see that from my vantage point of pain but, looking back from a summit of understanding on the mountaintop of God’s sovereignty- I CAN SEE! And WOW, is this view breathtaking.