
A spirit of rejection can feel debilitating – just ask sister “H” from southern Cameroon, who felt rejected wherever she went, tired and lonely. Her family members had rejected her and were not in contact with her. They did not care to check in on her and did not even know her whereabouts. It was a tormenting experience.
If we believe the lies which the enemy whispers in our ears, we will indeed feel overwhelmed by rejection. To someone who does not yet know the Lord, the lie may be that they are unloved. To those who know the Father’s love, the lie may be that yes, we are loved, but there is something deeply wrong with us and we are unlovable.
The lie may take the form of something like this: “Yes, I know that God has forgiven my sins, but He doesn’t really like me because I am a sinner. I am such a burden to Him because I keep on messing up.” It is subtle yet destructive at its core, and it colors our experiences with our human interactions. An unanswered phone call, an innocent remark by a loved one; or a friend forgetting to invite us to an event may all be twisted into a grand scheme of rejection, confirming our fears.
Desperate, sister H started to listen to “The Words of God,” our local partner’s gospel radio program in Cameroon, after one of her relatives told her about it. She learned how to pray and how to read the Bible, and expressed her gratitude that the pastor spoke in Bulu, her heart language. She writes of her gratitude when the pastor prayed for listeners like her who were experiencing rejection and other problems:
And that was how, from that day, all of family members who used to reject me started to call for me and to ask for my whereabouts. So, I glorify the name of the Lord!
We give thanks that through the radio, our sister was able to find words of encouragement and prayer support. Praise God that He hears our cries and answers us in our time of need.
The ultimate antidote to feeling rejection is to know and experience the love of our heavenly Father, expressed through the Son whom we call the Lord and experienced as our hearts commune with the Holy Spirit. We are all loved by our creator for who we are, and not what we offer or do. Even if we are rejected by people – something that is to be expected for followers of Jesus – we can rest in the mighty arms of our Savior.