"The stone which the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone."
Psalm 118:22
They had only been married for two years when her husband left her in a divorce. She felt rejected, and when she heard that he had married another woman, the rejection felt unbearable. She made an appointment to see her pastor. She asked, "What did I do wrong? Why has God allowed this to happen to me?" The pastor said, "It may not have to do with anything that you did wrong. God gives us choices, and your former husband chose to leave. However, God understands rejection. His Son was rejected by people at the cross. Everyday, people reject God in their lives. God is with you in your rejection as much as He has ever been. He's with you always." That woman later met a man who loved and cherished her. They married and had two wonderful children. She looks back on it now and thanks God for His constant help and guidance.
The psalmist prophesied the rejection of the coming Messiah. Yet, God the Father would bring good out of that rejection. Rejected at the cross, His death paid the price for all of our sins. God raised Christ from the dead to be the world's everlasting Savior. We look back and see the whole story. It was not understood by those first century disciples until Christ was raised from the dead. So it is in our lives. We are confused and hurt by rejection, but that's not the end of the story. God is at work to bring good out of it.
Can you remember a time when you felt the deep hurt of rejection? Did you remember that God understands that feeling of rejection? In spite of all that you saw happening, did you have hope that good would come out of it? When we are hurt by rejection, then we can only see and feel the present pain. We need hope from God for the future. He is always the God of new beginnings. To be hopeless is to be stuck in our painful situation. Hope is received as a gift from God that renews our faith in His ability to bring good out of our pain. Hope in God brings healing, when we feel rejected.
Father, heal our hurt from rejection.
