Moved by Christ. Unmoved by Rejection. – Wendy Abboud

At a recent LSU outreach, I watched as a brother in Christ received a hostile response from a student. He kindly and gently approached two students as they were passing by, greeted them and offered them outreach bags. One of the students boldly looked him in the face and without hesitation exclaimed “I hate God!” while the other student laughed derisively at him. Neither of the students slowed their pace as they kept on walking, continuing in their laughter. 

This rejection didn’t happen directly to me that day but I could feel some of the pangs of it as I stood nearby watching. Although this was a very light rejection, we looked at one another and both immediately began to refer to Matthew 5: 10-11. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” “You’re blessed right now!” I told him.

We experience rejection often while being out at LSU sharing our faith. It may not always come in the form of a response like the one on that particular day but it comes in many other forms. Students walk by and pretend that they don’t see you. Students hear the word “God” or “Jesus” and sneer or walk away quickly. Students attempt to make you feel wrong or like you’re the “bad guy” for daring to approach them to offer prayer or to share your faith. You don’t have to be out street evangelizing in order to experience this rejection as a Christian. It can occur anywhere and show itself in many different forms as you simply live out your life as His witness. 

When the rejection occurs, the flesh immediately feels embarrassed. Naturally, we want to do all that we can to avoid that feeling of rejection from occurring again. It causes the flesh to want to shrink back and throw in the towel. It can be wearying as one encounters the resistance of the course of this world. It feels as though you’re swimming against a very strong current because that is exactly what’s happening. It’s a strong current that seeks to sweep you away with it, let alone allow you to stand and push against it. The response of the flesh and the natural mind to rejection is to reject right back, bristle up, write off or withdraw altogether. Personally, my flesh wants to run and be moved by even the slightest awkward glance that I might receive from someone when sharing my faith. My flesh wants to end the conversation and literally run away. I’ve experienced this not only in intentional evangelistic settings but also in casual conversation with family and friends when I bring Jesus into whatever we’re discussing.

Praise God, as born again believers, we don’t have to succumb to the tendencies of our flesh or be driven by it! When rejection or even persecution comes our way due to living out our faith in Christ and confessing Him, we can stand firm and not allow ourselves to be moved by it. Rather, we can be moved solely by Christ. We don’t have to shrink back, cower or bristle up because of Who is in us! The initial response of the flesh can yield to the Holy Spirit so that He can flow out of us. 

We have the love of God that has been shed abroad in our hearts. His love. We are filled with and empowered by His Spirit. His love isn’t moved or hindered by rejection, a look of disdain or social disregard. His love isn’t moved or hindered by being hated, persecuted or even put to death. This is the LOVE that’s in us as His sons and daughters. It is a love that isn’t pushed back by rejection but continues to move forward and lovingly pursue despite it. This is totally contrary to my flesh that wants to completely abandon whoever causes me to feel the slightest brush off. 

Furthermore, we have total security in His love for us. When we know who we are in Christ and Who we belong to, we can continue on with being a loving and bold witness for Jesus again and again and again. We can do this even in the midst of feeling the fear and the pangs of rejection because we derive strength from His perfect love for us and we are driven forward by His perfect love for the lost. We are filled with the One Who, while hanging on the cross, looked at those who intended Him harm in every way possible and said “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” When His love is driving us, we will not only be able to endure rejection and persecution but endure it joyfully and with compassion. It sounds impossible to our flesh but in Christ it can be a reality! 

His life and love inside of us can cause us to be unmoved by the fears that the enemy would try to bring against us in these moments with an intention to make us draw back. His life and love inside of us can cause us to have a quiet resolve that is unwavering. A heart-knowing of these truths and the very real grace and empowerment of His Spirit can cause us to be unmoved in those moments of rejection and even persecution. We can be moved by Him and Him alone.