A God Who Doesn’t Turn Away from Us - The Crosswalk Devotional - February 22

A God Who Doesn’t Turn Away from Us
By Lynette Kittle

“All those the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away” (John 6:37)

As humans, rejection comes with the territory. We’re used to being rejected by others for all sorts of reasons. And it isn’t necessarily regarding huge things either, but more and more, it comes down to everyday little things.

Often, we think we’ve caused the rejection because of something in us, or how we look, or something else about us that triggers others to turn away from us. But surprisingly, rejection isn’t really about what we do or don’t do; it’s really more about what’s inside the people who are rejecting us and what they are seeing, thinking, or feeling about us at the time.

Whether it’s standing in line at a store being friendly to other shoppers and the cashier, or in a group or event, our friendliness can be rejected just because the other person is tired, doesn’t like us talking to them, or for a ton of other reasons, including a resistance to the Holy Spirit within us.

Rejection is really born in the heart of another, which is why we don’t want to take these everyday kinds of rejections personally.

The Perfect One Rejected

Think about it: Jesus was rejected and is still being rejected today, yet He is perfect. Being perfect in all His ways hasn’t stopped people from finding a reason to reject Him because rejection comes from within the heart.

Mistakenly, most of us believe it’s based on something outwardly seen or expressed in the person being rejected. Isaiah 53:3 describes the type of rejection Jesus would face on earth.

“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem.”

The low esteem many people hold for Jesus is heartbreaking. They really have no idea whom they are rejecting. Adam and Eve were created perfect but still turned away from God, rejecting Him and changing humankind’s bloodline from our original sinless standing for all future generations.

How God Responds to Rejection

For most of us, when we’re rejected, our response is to reject the person who is rejecting us, to write them off and turn our backs to them. But how does God respond when people reject Him?

Even though men and women rejected God, He didn’t turn away but instead turned towards us with love, giving us Jesus to save us. Romans 5:8 explains, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Unlike humans, God’s way of responding to rejection is with love. As John 3:16 explains, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And when we receive God’s love, there comes His promise in Hebrews 13:5, “God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

How We Can Respond to Rejection

Although it hurts at a deep level to be rejected, and it’s not easy when faced with it to respond in the right way, with God’s help, we can respond with the love He gives to us to those who reject us.

As Christians, we want to keep in mind that when people reject us, it’s often because they are rejecting God. Even though it may feel very personal, like 1 Thessalonians 4:8 explains, “Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you His Holy Spirit.”

Jesus explains in Luke 10:16, “Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; but whoever rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

Intersecting Faith & Life:
Is there someone who continually rejects you, possibly a family member, a co-worker, a store cashier, or a neighbor? If so, pray for him or her this week, asking God to free you from any ill feelings towards this person, to fill you with His love for them, and to lead them to Salvation.

Further Reading:
Jesus Understands the Sting of Rejection

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.