Dealing with Rejection

Everyone has Experience Dealing with Rejection.

Everyone wants to belong.

Everyone wants to be liked.

Everyone wants to be included.

Rejection Connection

Jesus has a rejection connection with us.

Jesus knows the reality of rejection

both before the cross

and at the cross.

~
The following Bible devotion

is about one of those experiences.

After this, Jesus went to Galilee, going from village to village, for he wanted to stay out of Judea where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death.

But soon it was time for the Tabernacle Ceremonies, one of the annual Jewish holidays, and Jesus’ brothers urged him to go to Judea for the celebration.

“Go where more people can see your miracles!” they scoffed. “You can’t be famous when you hide like this! If you’re so great, prove it to the world!”
For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.

John 7:1-5 TLB

Hurts

Jesus experienced the same type of things we experience.

Hebrews 5:15 NKJV says, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin."

Each of us has experienced many hurts.

When Jesus walked on the earth, he felt all the different kinds of hurts that we experience. One of the hurts he felt was the rejection of his own brothers. They mocked him. They laughed at him. They even seemed to be oblivious to the danger their brother faced.

Jesus did not sin when he experienced rejection. He did not give in to offense or hurt or anger. He handled rejection in a godly way.

Jesus merely answered his brothers by saying:

“It is not the right time for me to go now. But you can go anytime and it will make no difference, for the world can’t hate you; but it does hate me,
because I accuse it of sin and evil.
You go on, and I’ll come later when it is the right time.”

John 7:6-8 TLB

James and Jude

After the resurrection of Jesus, we are told that at least two of his brothers* did accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Moreover, they each wrote a book in the New Testament. Nevertheless, the fact remains that while Jesus was on this earth, he lacked the support of his brothers.

Our life includes many hurts. We sometimes experience the pain of rejection. Jesus not only has a rejection connection with us, but in fact, he understands all our struggles. Moreover, he is with us, and he is ready to help us.

“It is quite true that the way to live a godly life is not an easy matter. But the answer lies in Christ, who came to earth as a man, was proved spotless and pure in his Spirit, was served by angels, was preached among the nations, was accepted by men everywhere and was received up again to his glory in heaven.”

1 Timothy 3:16

*Jesus’ brothers: James and Jude became believers after the resurrection. They later wrote the books of James and Jude in the Bible.

Copyright © 1994 Beth McLendon of Inspirational-Prayers.com

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