Sermon # 39 - How To Handle Rejection Series

We read in Isaiah 60:15, “You were hated and deserted, rejected by everyone. But I will make you beautiful, a city to be proud of for all time to come.”(CEV)

There are two states that are mentioned in the above verse, the first is one is that of hatred, desertion and rejection, while the second state is one of beauty and honor for all time. God specializes in taking that which is hated, deserted and rejected by everyone, and reverses them so that the very ones who rejected us, will come seeking after us.

Many of us may have passed through such seasons of despair in our lives, where we were hated, deserted and rejected by people. This kind of rejection has caused a deep sense of grief, and those who have gone through such experiences, long for love and acceptance.

In the past few messages we were looking at marriage and family, and have realized that families are under severe attack by the enemy. We recognize that marriage was ordained by God, and was His initiative, not man’s idea. Everything that God established is for our good, but unfortunately many young people shun the idea of marriage, and are deciding to live life singly as they have wrongly perceived the institution of marriage and family. When God made Adam, He understood the fact that it was not good for man to be alone, and therefore He created Eve to be a suitable partner. Marriage is God’s blessing to mankind, but society has developed resentment towards this institution of marriage that was meant was our good. There are those who are married and live in a family, only for the sake of society, but in their hearts they are separated, and have no real union or love for each other. No matter how broken the marriage relationship is, the Lord assures us that He can come in, to restore back the love, joy and unity to the relationship.

Family is all about relationships

Family as a unit is all about relationships. Relationship between husband and wife, parents and children, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law etc. These relationships were established by God for safety and security. When God blesses a family with a baby, He does so with the hope that the child will be safe, and protected in this secure environment called family. These family relationships which a baby is born into, should help nurture the child, teach good values and protect the child from every form of harm. Unfortunately, so many children have their feelings and emotions crushed right in their homes, and have grown up to be adults with deep emotional scars.

It is so important that we accept our children for who they are, just as God created them, and not try to mold them to be what we want them to be. Every child is created uniquely, with their own special gifts and grace that God has bestowed upon them. So often, parents make the grave mistake of forcing their ideas and desires on their children, thereby prodding them to accomplish what they sometimes failed to do. We must pause to ask God to show us His plans for our children, and encourage them to fulfill the same in their lives. Parents must take time to talk to and counsel their own children. Home is meant to be a place of peace, joy, love and security. However, when a child does not receive the love, acceptance and assurance at home, but rather has his or her emotions bruised by harsh words and criticism, they will most certainly look for love and acceptance in relationships elsewhere, outside of their homes.

There are many parents who in their senior years are in grief, and weep over their children, simply because they failed to set a good example, and did not realize that their children when grown up would do exactly what they saw being modelled at home by their parents. Minor misunderstandings have resulted in parents severing ties with their children, and children not even speaking to their parents, sometimes for many years. If that is the case, we need to repent and not pride ourselves in this, but understand that the family was instituted by God to be a place of love and unity, not one of animosity and bitterness.

When husband and wife are not united with love and understanding, but are at discord with each other, this adversely affects the emotional growth and stability of their children. In many families, family members dislike each other so much that they consider them their enemies. Our ego and pride has prevented us from forgiving one another, and accepting each other with love.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:36, “your worst enemies will be the members of your own family.” (GNB)