FEAR OF REJECTION

"Don't let anyone, or any rejection, keep you from what you want.” - Ashley Tisdale

Don't let anyone, or any rejection, keep you from what you want.

Ashley Tisdale

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/rejection.html#b0MUieo4MiZk4P3G.99

Don't let anyone, or any rejection, keep you from what you want.

Ashley Tisdale

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/rejection.html#b0MUieo4MiZk4P

My land-lady Marie has a “vege” food store that I’m taking care of while she’s away in California. About a little while back, 2 freezers went down and $700 worth of vege food was lost. I called Marie and explained the situation to her.

A few days ago I was led in prayer to scrutinize my actions. I reached the painful and frightening conclusion that I needed to bring all of the facts to light for Marie. Right when I learned that there was anything wrong with the freezer, had I diligently worked to monitor it and communicate with Marie, much food probably could have been saved. My parents were here, and my dad, when we realized the freezer wasn’t freezing the food as it should, turned it to its coldest setting. I figured that would take care of the situation for the time being, and that there was no need to bug Marie about it immediately. Like I said, a few days ago I realized my actions were wrong, and that had I acted more diligently, who knows how much of the $700 loss could have been spared. Thoughts started running frighteningly through my head that night, how am I going to tell Marie? The fear of rejection set in, she’s going to be furious, or at least think horribly of me. I’m going to lose my reputation of being a responsible young man, and people are going to see me as negligent. I’m going to have to compensate the San Marcos church for the money that they lost. I went to sleep with those thoughts in my head, not looking forward to the morning but knowing that regardless of the outcome I had to do what was right.

I woke up Thursday morning, feeling sick. I didn’t want to go through with telling Marie all the details of the freezer accident that I’d wrestled over the night before. I didn’t go into it right first thing when I saw her, but waited for a couple of hours, then I sat down and told her what was on my heart. As I explained everything to her, I thought I saw her eyes get kind of watery, and she sort of wiped them a couple of times, and in the end told me that everything was okay and we worked things out. I had feared rejection, anger, scorn, but I had just been unsuspectingly embraced by the arms of grace. The rejection that I’d feared never occurred. Instead of experiencing rejection, I experienced acceptance, and it was good.

Sometimes the fear of rejection impedes our progress or restricts who we interact with. But the truth is we shouldn't allow rejection stop us from being what God has called us to be. He hasn't given us a spirit of fear!