“Rejected” by Morgan MacMillan
As Christians we’re taught not to fear the eternal blessings that come afterlife and rightfully so. 2 Corinthians 4:17 tells us that our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that outweighs all our struggles. I fight to remember that one… Every. Single. Day.
Learning about the blessings that come after life can sometimes help with the pain that comes when we lose a loved one. But what about mourning the loss of the living? If that sounds sort of morbid, that’s because it is.
Think about the sting from losing that conditional love from your first boyfriend. It was nice to go home and cry to your family, wasn’t it? The comfort of knowing that no matter what, you still had people that loved you. But, I’m not talking about the conditional love that you lose in a break up. The sad fact is that many people have gone through life never knowing particular family members, while others will never know the hurt of losing ‘unconditional’ love.
Anyone that knows me knows that rejection haunts me more days than not. It’s something that I constantly find myself talking to God about. I’ve been cut from family photos, left out of holiday gatherings and I’ve been blamed for feelings that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. For a long time, I labeled myself damaged due to the things I’d battled. On a bad day, the enemy can still push me over the edge and almost convince me that I’m not loveable. He can steal my confidence, he can kill my joy and he will try to destroy the healing work that God has done in my life.
GOOD NEWS: God has already won this battle for us. It’s done and over with; we just have to believe that truth. Accepting God’s love when I felt unworthy was one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to absorb. If my own blood-relatives couldn’t love me, why would God? Oh, duh, because He’s the O.G. flesh and blood, calls me His daughter and loves me more than I could ever fathom.
It’s much easier to get mad and distance yourself from the ache that comes with that rejection. Out of sight, out of mind doesn’t always apply here. Trust me when I say that will never heal your soul, it will actually do the exact opposite. If you shut out those feelings, you will see them in every other relationship you have. The walls that protect your heart from being wounded like that again will also keep love from getting in and God can’t stand that. His love is stronger than any wall you’ve crafted, no matter how hard you’ve worked on it.
The true strength is not acting like you’re okay but learning to pray for those who have hurt you. They might not ever ask for your forgiveness, and you don’t always ask for God’s forgiveness before it’s granted either.
In those moments it can feel impossible to forgive someone who wants nothing to do with you or someone that has caused you so much pain. Learning to love others the same way God loves us makes it so much easier to find the power to forgive.
Luke 12:6-7 remind us just how valuable we are to our Father. “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
What a flawless reminder that walking out God’s plan for your life, which includes forgiveness and grace, leads to an eternal glory that outweighs any heartache that anyone can cause you this side of Heaven.
Not everyone’s family album may include you, but if God had a fridge, you better believe your picture would be on it.
Written by ~ Morgan MacMillan
Morgan is a Huntsville native who loves Jesus, rescue dogs, and anything literary. She enjoys sharing about her walk with God and speaking life to everyone she meets. Morgan works as a communication specialist, which allows her to write her heart out on a daily basis.
One Comment
Love you BIG! You are an amazing creature of God and I am honored to call you friend!