I never changed my name back to my maiden name when I got divorced, because I thought, “why bother, I know I’m going to get married again.” However, it never happened. I thought everyone else had what I wanted—a husband to take care of me, perfect children, and a beautiful home. I thought, “what’s wrong with me? No one wants me.” I felt left out, rejected, a square peg in a round hole.
How do we overcome rejection?
Story of Jephthah
God chose Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. When Moses died, Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land and commanded the army to drive out the Canaanites.
However, when Joshua died, Israel had no strong leader. Therefore, God appointed judges to guide and unite the 12 tribes of Israel because “the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot about the Lord their God” (Judges 3:7 NLT).
Jephthah was the eighth judge chronicled in the book of Judges and known as a mighty warrior. He suffered rejection from his family because he was the son of a prostitute (Judges 11:1). His half-brothers threw him out of the house. They said, “You shall not have an inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman” (Judges 11:2 ESV).
When the elders of his hometown called him back to be commander of the army to defeat the Ammonites, I imagine Jephthah’s sarcastic reply. Scripture states, “Did you not hate me and drive me out of my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress” (Judges 11:7-8 ESV)?
The people asked him to be commander of the army, but God chose Him for the job. He gave Jephthah the spirit of the Lord to lead the army to victory and give God the glory (Judges 11:29).
God uses rejected people
We feel unlovable, unworthy, and broken when we experience rejection. However, God puts our broken pieces back to together to make something beautiful. We overcome rejection with God’s acceptance.
Our past failures and rejection do not define us. God chose Jephthah to conquer the Ammonites, even though his family treated him as an outcast.
My single status and rejection by others does not define me either. I overcame rejection by God’s acceptance because I realized I am accepted in Christ Jesus and have a purpose for my life. I am God’s daughter, holy and chosen by Him to do good works (Ephesians 2:10).
Even Jesus was rejected by the Jews, the religious leaders, and some of His disciples. But only Jesus is perfect. And He perfectly fulfilled His purpose.
Peter wrote, “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV).
Jesus is the living cornerstone, rejected by men, but chosen as the final sacrifice to reconcile us to God. We are now acceptable to God, a holy priesthood called to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. (Romans 12:1-2).
Do you feel rejected? Friend, I know rejection hurts, but we are rejected by others, but accepted by God. Even though you cannot deserve it or earn it, Jesus freely offers complete acceptance in Him.
Final thoughts
How do you overcome rejection? Meditate on what God thinks of you. He created you in His image to love you and call you His child. He says you are His masterpiece, and He sent His beloved Son to die so He could have a relationship with you!
To help you meditate on scripture, download my gift to you, a free PDF called “What do you see in the mirror? See what God sees.”
Be sure to subscribe by clicking the button below so you won’t miss more in the blog about Jephthah and how his tenure as a judge progressed. (Spoiler alert—he started out strong but did not end well.)
