... On Being Rejected.

Have you ever been rejected before?

What a feeling!

 

It’s quite horrible actually. Really horrible. 

The one you’re in love with doesn’t love you back, or your application doesn’t sail through, or you don’t qualify for something you really want to do.

 

I was refused a visa application two years ago, and it shocked me to my bones. It hurt real bad. I’m laughing now, I was laughing then, but deep within, I was sad. 

It made me realise that rejection of any and every sort, no matter how 'insignificant' it may seem, has the power to leave you shook and if you let it, it’ll break you. 

I assumed because I travelled often to this country, and usually stayed long months on trips, my omission of certain documents wouldn’t matter. They had my travel and application history after all. 

 

I submitted my account statement with an account balance that couldn’t cover my trip, because I assumed the healthy activity of inflow and outflow was enough evidence that I could afford the trip. I didn’t even put evidence of source of funds… nothing. In all my years I have never been so arrogant with an application. I just assumed. This is what Nigerians would tag “village people”.

 

I have an excuse though... 

 

I needed to travel by a certain date and couldn’t wait for the alert I was expecting in my account to boost the balance before applying, and like I said, I believed my history would speak for me. The very polite letter that followed my rejection said, even though I had been a frequent traveller to their country, they were not satisfied I could afford the trip, and there was no evidence of my income. 🙆🏽‍♀

 

Rejection is painful. The hurt is real! I felt some type of way for days, devastated. My chwest!!!!! 

Then there’s a reluctance to try again even when the conditions have been met, because fear creeps in; what if you’re still not good enough? What of you’re rejected again. What if’s become a prison for precious souls. What if I don’t find love again? What if they still disqualify me for that contract? What if I’m still not accepted into that school? 

 

I was so vexed, so vexed about being rejected, I reapplied immediately. That’s what we should do, we should show up again, against all odds, against the what if questions. 

My accounts received the expected alert and I gathered every possible financial document: my book contract, CSCS, dividend statement every account I had that now had cash in (savings, current, domiciliary), my sister as my sponsor's bank statement. I gave them every document I could find. 😄

 

I crossed all my t’s, which I should have done in the first place, and I got my visa and travelled. 

 

Can you imagine the confidence you have about something and then one little omission makes them reject you and labels you unworthy! 

 

Most people feel rejected by God! 

 

Because of a little omission or large omissions. 

Because of their sins and mistakes.

Because they don't pray as often as they should, or tithe or serve in church.

 

Imagine the number of people moving around with the feeling of rejection. Believing there’s an “Access Denied” sign waiting for them if they dare to try to come back home to God or even approach Him for the first time. 

 

If an embassy made me feel so horrible, how much more the feeling of being unqualified to be called God’s own?

 

God loves you, choose the path of love and receive grace; grace doesn’t disqualify, it doesn’t make you cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s before embracing you. It tells you to come as you are, when you come, it qualifies you without looking at your files, your past records don’t matter in grace.

 

It says come boldly to His presence.

 

Come home... God is running to welcome you when He sights you walking down the driveway. 

 

If you feel rejected, don’t throw in the towel on your salvation story, just like I reapplied immediately after my rejection and got my visa, keep showing up. Don’t let the sin and mistakes make you feel disqualified to come or to even make a case before God. 

If a church or anyone tells you that you don’t qualify to be saved... they lied. 

 

God, the author of salvation says ““Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 NKJV

 

I went back to reason with my visa application! That trip was too important to go make my bed with rejection. I had to show up again. Even though condemnation was barking at me with words of how foolish I was, and how I wasted money due to my foolishness.  

 

Condemnation would try to keep you in bed with your feeling of rejection, because you know what you did! Don’t let that bed fool you, jump up and run home! God is waiting. You may condemn yourself but He says to you who comes home, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

 

No matter how bad you are... when you come to the table with Him, and proclaim Him as Lord over your life, He gives a clean slate, and never remembers your sins. 

 

“For I will demonstrate my mercy to them and will forgive their evil deeds, and never remember again their sins.””

Hebrews 8:12 (TPT)

 

The only past you have business holding on to, is the past of what Christ has done... His dying for your sins, your past is forgiven and swallowed up in what He's done for you on the cross. 

 

Stop creeping around God. Stop feeling rejected. You are not cast away. The King is calling for you, if you stop to listen, you would hear Him, and when you come to Him, you’ll receive grace and mercy. If you don’t stop to listen, you wouldn’t hear Him, and you’ll go through life carrying the weight of condemnation and the deep scars of perceived rejection.  

God hasn't rejected you, your self-condemnation is what's holding you back.