The chapter of grace
Have you ever picked up a piece of fruit, felt it, and then put it back down only to pick up another until you find the right one. You are rejecting some to find the one you feel is the best. One of the "darkest" places to be in our lives is in the place of being examined, but rejected by those around us. By the very nature of rejecting someone, the one being rejected is being said to be useless or unsatisfactory to the one who is doing the rejecting. They have no purpose in our lives - therefore, we discard them, refusing to accept them and what they bring into our lives. One of the toughest things to learn to do with people who treat others as though they are "rejects" in this earth is to NOT reject them because of their "actions" of intolerance or judgment! It is only natural to want to reject those who hurt others, abuse us, or treat some as though their sins are too great. It is also a very dangerous place to tread - because we move into a place of judge in their lives - a place ONLY God can occupy. Today, I don't want to focus on the one who rejects so much as on the one who has been rejected. The place of darkness this rejection creates in the lives of those who suffer at the hands of those who reject them is almost insurmountable.
Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, you’d find me in a minute—you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)
What does an individual who is being rejected experience? Aren't the gamut of emotions ranging from being angry at those who reject them to feeling immensely useless and hopeless common to those who have been rejected? In fact, the list of emotional ups and downs is probably too large to even begin to consider. Suffice it to say, rejection wreaks havoc on our emotions - and in turn, on our self-image, our ability to relate to others in the future, and the desire to ever trust again. Why? Trust has been violated. We placed some element of trust in the one who rejected us - now it is difficult to want to trust again. Relationships become a thing we fear rather than embrace. How we see ourselves is "shaded" by the impression the rejection has left - much like a hand print in wet cement hardens in time, always reflecting the impression left behind by the influence of the pressure exerted when the cement was at its most "form-able" phase. Our psalmist's heart obviously knew some of the anguish of rejection - for he had been hurt by his closest of friends, wounded by children who just did not seem to understand the importance of his wisdom, and guilt-ridden in his own shame over sins he had committed. Sound like anyone we might know? I know his "experiences" in life hit close to home for me - this is probably why I associate so closely with David's teachings, and those of his son, Solomon. The heart of David constantly cried out to God for mercy - the heart of this gal writing today constantly cries out to God for more grace, more mercy, more of Christ in me.
The one who experiences rejection "feels" - these feelings are real and cannot be denied. They want to escape the pain they are experiencing, don't they? They look for a place to curl up, hiding from the anguish of the rejection. There is an attempt to flee the pain - looking high and low for the thing that will cover over the intense sting rejection leaves. One who has been rejected by another wants to be out of sight - for even seeing themselves hurts! We can try to escape God's Spirit, but where can we actually "go" to flee from God's compassion and his grace? The answer: NOWHERE! Why is it we are trying to escape God's Spirit anyway? Isn't it because we don't even think God loves us at the point we are experiencing such rejection from others? Does it come as any surprise to you of Satan's "design" in the actions of rejection? His goal is to get us AWAY (and keep us away) from the very thing which we need the most! His greatest joy comes when we flee from God! His greatest fear is when we run to God! He is there when we attempt to avoid him. We might purposefully attempt to avoid encountering him, but he purposefully pursues us anyway! We try to cover up or hide - not because we ARE unworthy, but because we FEEL unworthy. We believe the lie rejection brings - no one, not even God, wants us. The furthest thing is true - even when NO ONE wants us, God loves us deeply, embraces us closely, and believes in us immensely. When we feel the sting of rejection, it is natural to want to do one of two things. Either we begin to live a lie - falsely escalating in joyful cheer, making the others think all is well with us, or we attempt to flee underground, trying to escape without further "damages" being experienced.
The most amazing part of this passage is in God's "position". He is THERE. Not by accident, but because he has determined to be waiting for us wherever we attempt to flee! "Then I said to myself, 'Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!'” Even in our darkest place, God immerses us in his light! Darkness isn't darkness to God! In fact, no darkness dwells where God is - and we are reminded God is everywhere we are! I don't know the havoc rejection has brought into your life, but here's the hope I want you to find - God is not the author of this rejection! He is the author of YOU. As the author, he can re-write anything in your life that causes you pain. Sometimes it is in the actions of forgiving the one who rejected you. At other times, it is in the actions of coming out of hiding, learning to be comfortable with who you are and how God made you - all your quirks and hang-ups included. No "chapter" of your life is written in stone - except the Chapter of Grace! The author has seen to it that GRACE will always be a part of your life! First, grace to you - then, grace through you! What am I "just sayin" today? Plain and simple: God's grace is waiting to embrace you in this your most darkest of hours! Reach out - take his hand - he is already there waiting! Just sayin!
Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, you’d find me in a minute—you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)
What does an individual who is being rejected experience? Aren't the gamut of emotions ranging from being angry at those who reject them to feeling immensely useless and hopeless common to those who have been rejected? In fact, the list of emotional ups and downs is probably too large to even begin to consider. Suffice it to say, rejection wreaks havoc on our emotions - and in turn, on our self-image, our ability to relate to others in the future, and the desire to ever trust again. Why? Trust has been violated. We placed some element of trust in the one who rejected us - now it is difficult to want to trust again. Relationships become a thing we fear rather than embrace. How we see ourselves is "shaded" by the impression the rejection has left - much like a hand print in wet cement hardens in time, always reflecting the impression left behind by the influence of the pressure exerted when the cement was at its most "form-able" phase. Our psalmist's heart obviously knew some of the anguish of rejection - for he had been hurt by his closest of friends, wounded by children who just did not seem to understand the importance of his wisdom, and guilt-ridden in his own shame over sins he had committed. Sound like anyone we might know? I know his "experiences" in life hit close to home for me - this is probably why I associate so closely with David's teachings, and those of his son, Solomon. The heart of David constantly cried out to God for mercy - the heart of this gal writing today constantly cries out to God for more grace, more mercy, more of Christ in me.
The one who experiences rejection "feels" - these feelings are real and cannot be denied. They want to escape the pain they are experiencing, don't they? They look for a place to curl up, hiding from the anguish of the rejection. There is an attempt to flee the pain - looking high and low for the thing that will cover over the intense sting rejection leaves. One who has been rejected by another wants to be out of sight - for even seeing themselves hurts! We can try to escape God's Spirit, but where can we actually "go" to flee from God's compassion and his grace? The answer: NOWHERE! Why is it we are trying to escape God's Spirit anyway? Isn't it because we don't even think God loves us at the point we are experiencing such rejection from others? Does it come as any surprise to you of Satan's "design" in the actions of rejection? His goal is to get us AWAY (and keep us away) from the very thing which we need the most! His greatest joy comes when we flee from God! His greatest fear is when we run to God! He is there when we attempt to avoid him. We might purposefully attempt to avoid encountering him, but he purposefully pursues us anyway! We try to cover up or hide - not because we ARE unworthy, but because we FEEL unworthy. We believe the lie rejection brings - no one, not even God, wants us. The furthest thing is true - even when NO ONE wants us, God loves us deeply, embraces us closely, and believes in us immensely. When we feel the sting of rejection, it is natural to want to do one of two things. Either we begin to live a lie - falsely escalating in joyful cheer, making the others think all is well with us, or we attempt to flee underground, trying to escape without further "damages" being experienced.
The most amazing part of this passage is in God's "position". He is THERE. Not by accident, but because he has determined to be waiting for us wherever we attempt to flee! "Then I said to myself, 'Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!'” Even in our darkest place, God immerses us in his light! Darkness isn't darkness to God! In fact, no darkness dwells where God is - and we are reminded God is everywhere we are! I don't know the havoc rejection has brought into your life, but here's the hope I want you to find - God is not the author of this rejection! He is the author of YOU. As the author, he can re-write anything in your life that causes you pain. Sometimes it is in the actions of forgiving the one who rejected you. At other times, it is in the actions of coming out of hiding, learning to be comfortable with who you are and how God made you - all your quirks and hang-ups included. No "chapter" of your life is written in stone - except the Chapter of Grace! The author has seen to it that GRACE will always be a part of your life! First, grace to you - then, grace through you! What am I "just sayin" today? Plain and simple: God's grace is waiting to embrace you in this your most darkest of hours! Reach out - take his hand - he is already there waiting! Just sayin!
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