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Choose the Topic you would like Al to Address: Choose a Topic Below... Love Sex Pregnancy Loneliness Priorities Too Busy Insecurity Material things Rejection Anger Forgiveness Suicide a Sin Witness God's Will Ministry Satanism Security Death Salvation? I feel suicidal Bad Language Drugs/Alcohol Addiction Gossiping and/or Lying Guilt Trust Smoking or Dipping? Abortion Occult Suffering My parents hate me Rebelling Obedience Sharing Jesus with Parents Divorce Question 9. What should I do when I feel rejected? All of us have known the pain of rejection. Jesus knew rejection (Isaiah 53:3). It is one of the most awful experiences we can have. Feeling rejected means that we don't believe we're loved. Sometimes this rejection is real. Other times, the rejection is imaginary. We often feel rejected by others because of the way we feel about ourselves. Real or not, rejection can be destructive if you respond in the wrong way. So what's the best way to deal with "being on the outside?" First, you must decide whether you are going to believe what God says about you as a Christian, (the FACTS), or if you are going to believe the lies Satan is selling (the FEELINGS). • What are the facts? As a Christian you are forgiven, loved and accepted by God. You are special, and you matter to God. (See Question #23) • What are the feelings? The lies Satan whispers in your ear sound like this: "You're a loser--no one likes you--nobody cares--you'll never change." If you buy into these lies, you'll experience feelings of worthlessness, depression, self-hatred, guilt, shame, despair, worries, doubts, fears, hopelessness, and maybe even thoughts of suicide. Handling rejection comes down to a choice of your will. In the Christian life everything does. When you experience rejection--STOP. Take a few minutes to think. "Am I going to follow the facts or my feelings?" You do not have to give in to those feelings of worthlessness--the lies Satan hurls at you. If you need to, say out loud "I choose to ignore Satan's lies about me. I choose to accept the facts about who God says I am. I am making this decision based on the facts and not on my current feelings." Then rehearse the facts in your mind--what God says about you in the Bible many times. Reprogram the way you think about yourself. "Renew your mind" (Romans 12:1-2). As you take in God's Word (the FACTS) and saturate yourself in it, feelings of rejection will become less of a problem for you! ISAIAH 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man or sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. ROMANS 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.