The two most difficult emotions to work through in our lives are rejection and grief. Grief, which is an overwhelming emotion, isn't always accompanied with rejection, but grief is always the result of rejection.
I have no doubt that every person reading this has had his or her share of rejection and grief; I wonder how you have learned to process such strong emotions.
Obviously, healthy ways and a not-so healthy ways to deal with grief exist, but no way is easy. The not-so-healthy ways of working out these emotions will always have a very difficult consequence for everyone involved.
When we look at the life of the Lord Jesus, who was the greatest Man to ever walk on this earth, we quickly find out that He had His share of rejection and grief. In fact, the prophet Jeremiah described the future grief of the Lord Jesus long before He came to earth.
And Lamentations 1:12 (ESV) tells of Christ's rejection as He hung on the cross for the sins of mankind, with His Father's face turned from Him, "Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the LORD inflicted on the day of his fierce anger."
In the New Testament, the Bible speaks of the Lord Jesus not having a place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20), and of other times when His own siblings rejected Him and thought He was crazy. (Mark 3:21). Many times before His crucifixion, those who hated Him tried to kill Him (John 8:59). Why? Simply because He did wonderful things for other people while proclaiming to be God. After all, only God could do the miracles that He did!
Can you imagine being the Creator of the Universe and not having a place to lay your head, or hanging from a cross, deathly parched, when you had created the very oceans and water by the power of your word?
These types of experiences would have incurred deep emotional pain for the Lord Jesus, a sorrow that you and I could never understand because we are not the Creator of the heavens and earth. We cannot look into the eyes of people who continually hate and reject us and only have love and compassion for them. Part of us would want to pull away to protect ourselves, but the Lord Jesus didn't do this. He went forward and endured the cross for you and me (Hebrews 12:2).
The most tragic example of the Lord Jesus's rejection was the cross itself. He endured the judgment from His Creation, yet never resented the evil hands that nailed Him to the cross, or the wicked lips that shouted, "Crucify Him!"
The Bible tells us Christ could have called on legions of angels to save Him from the pain of crucifixion and the humiliation of probably being hung almost naked for all to see (Matthew 26:53). But He didn't.
Even far worse and unimaginable, was the rejection of His own Heavenly Father, as the Lord Jesus who knew no sin bore the angry punishment by God Himself. During this time the Lord Jesus was left alone for the first in all of eternity past, as God turned His back on His son, and He cried out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
I share these things with you concerning the suffering and sorrow of the Lord Jesus not to minimize your pain, but to tell you Someone understands and is willing to walk with you so you won't be alone in your emotional turmoil. There is someone who carried your shame, guilt, rejection, and fear, to the point of death.
Our pain and our sins were totally absorbed by His sinless soul. The Lord Jesus did this for us because He loves us. He loves you and He loves me so completely! He opened the way to God for us, so that if we put our trust in Him for the forgiveness of sins, God can receive us to Himself.
He gives us new life and hope that begins the moment we believe-and lasts forever all the way to heaven. John 3:16 (NIV) says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Might I encourage you in your time of rejection and sorrow to look to the Lord Jesus-who loves you and wants you, no matter your circumstance or failure-and put your trust in Him?
He is alive today. He is ready and willing to come into your life and change you from the inside out (2 Corinthians 5:17). All you need to do is come to Him just as you are. He will walk with you and will not leave you when other people do.
Jesus said, "Come to me all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28, ISV).
Becky Kew is a distributer of Intertribal Life newspaper and has been involved in First Nations Ministry for over 20 years. Becky is also on the Board of Directors of ILM. You can reach her at Beckykew@outlook.com.
