When Rejection Hurts - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - March 28, 2025

“And the Lord told him: ‘Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.’” 1 Samuel 8:7

Let’s be real. Rejection hurts, whether it happens in a romantic or family relationship, with friends, a job interview, in a group or community activity, etc.

For some, rejection throws them for a loop from which they find it difficult to recover. For others, it motivates them to prove to those who rejected them that they were wrong about them and are missing out.

As humans, it isn’t possible to live this life without experiencing rejection; it’s going to come in some form, at some time, and most likely multiple times. It’s just how life works because rejection—not the kind where we don't get the job simply because we aren't qualified, but the spiteful, personal kind—is something others use to help themselves feel better, to control their situations, and to hurt others, so it’s not something preventable in a sinful world.

If anyone knows about rejection, it’s God. In fact, there is no one on earth who has ever been rejected as many times or by as many people as He has and still continues to be.

Throughout the Bible, we read over and over again where people rejected Him. Then, when Jesus came to earth, He, too, experienced rejection.

Because Jesus has, we can turn to Him, knowing He understands the pain and all the lies that come along with being rejected, such as believing it’s our fault, we’re not good enough, or smart enough, or attractive enough, and so many more thoughts and feelings that try to consume and destroy us after being rejected.

Of course, Jesus is perfect, so we may say, well, that’s different because we aren’t perfect like Him. However, rejection isn’t about being perfect or imperfect but comes from within those who choose to reject others.

Rejection isn’t caused by something on the outside of a person, like their physical features, or personalities, or frailties, or disabilities, or dysfunctions, but comes from deep within a person who has decided they don’t like something about someone.

Rejecting individuals is something people choose to do; it’s voluntary, based on their own beliefs and character, leading them to either love or hate others. As Christians, when rejection comes, it’s really rejecting God and is a form of persecution, where, because of our faith, we’re overlooked, left out, discounted, and cast aside as unimportant.

People may think they know what they’re doing in choosing to reject others, but they really don’t. However, Jesus knows. Some of His final words on the cross were, “’Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they divided up his clothes by casting lots” (Luke 23:34).

We are wise to follow His lead in forgiving those who reject us, realizing they don’t fully understand what they are doing in rejecting others. In choosing to reject, individuals are setting themselves up as an enemy, and Jesus instructs in Matthew 5:44, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

As well, the Apostle Paul, who suffered much persecution and rejection, urges us to “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:14).

Although rejection has the potential to hurt us very deeply, we don’t have to bear the pain ourselves because we have a God who understands and is present to comfort us. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

In praying for and loving those who reject us, we want to remember that all of us, before receiving Christ, were once God’s enemies, too. As Romans 5:10 explains, “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!”

Let’s pray:
Dear Father, Help us forgive those who reject us, knowing Jesus was rejected on earth and is still being rejected. Lead us in praying for and loving those who cause us the pain of rejection. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/iprogressman

Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.

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