The Beauty of Rejection

In the movies, books, and tv shows, when the main character auditions for something, they almost always get the role, get the job, or even if rejected, chances are, they get accepted later on.

But the truth is, rejection is real, and it’s a whole lot more common than they make it out to be in the movies.

We’re not guaranteed acceptance. When we audition for something, when we ask someone to be our significant other, when we apply for a school or a job, we risk rejection.

And when we get rejected, it feels like our whole world is collapsing. Sure, that feeling goes away after a while, but that event leaves a bad taste in our mouths and makes it harder to risk being rejected again.

Rejection Lies

An experience I had with rejection was when I signed up for a leadership role in a community. I was really excited about that opportunity. I carefully filled in all the questions with thoughtful answers. I thought I would get it, because, well, why wouldn’t I?

But then I got the email saying I hadn’t been chosen. It devastated me. That email caused voices to appear in my head, whispering lies into my brain.

They said things like:

You’re not good enough.

You were stupid to think you even had a chance.

Of course, you were so bad. You were never good at it in the first place.

You’re not talented enough.

Why did you think you could do this?

And I believed the voices because everything they said seemed true. Those things must be true, because if they aren’t, then I would have been chosen for the position.

But then, I reread the email, pulled out my phone and turned on the song, “Goodness of God.” As I listened to it, I repeated to myself, again and again, God loves me, and He has a plan for me. I didn’t get it, but it’s okay, because it’s all in God’s plan.

Remember Truth

The voices I heard after reading that email, and the voices that you are hearing on the heels of your rejection, are lying.

The truth is that God has a plan for all of us, no matter what our brain tells us. We can trust that God’s plans for us are more perfect than anything we could ever imagine. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11

The truth is we are perfectly loved by God, so we don’t have to fear rejection from people. Through Christ’s finished work on the cross we are accepted by God. “More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” – Romans 5:11

The truth is that each one of us are chosen by God. First Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

It’s hard to remember these truths in that moment of rejection, in that moment of despair, because we so easily slip into the hole of thinking we’re not good enough and the whole world is falling apart.

In that moment, try to breathe. Close your eyes. Maybe listen to a song. Turn to God’s Word, and remember the truth: God loves you, He’s there for you, and He has a plan for you.

Beauty in the Pain

While rejection hurts in the moment, it’s an experience that, perhaps, will help you in the future.

Maybe you’ll realize a better way to audition. Maybe you can comfort someone else who went through a similar rejection as you.

Everything that happens in your life is something that God has allowed for a reason, so place your trust in Him and let Him use the rejection to grow you.

No, I did not get chosen for that major leadership position. But later, I was elected to be a leader of a smaller, close-knit group. As I started my role in that position, I realized the major leadership position was not what I needed, and I was not ready for that position. God knew that. He had a plan for me, I just didn’t know it yet.

And that’s the beauty of rejection. Knowing that it happened for a reason, and that it played a part in God’s big picture. His plan is more perfect than we could ever imagine.