It happens sometimes. You didn’t get picked to be on a team. You didn’t get invited to a friend’s party. Some friends were talking and laughing on the playground, and you weren’t included. What’s really going on here? What are the questions you ask yourself when this happens? ARE they rejecting me? Are they talking about me? What’s wrong with me? Most of the time, when these questions run through your mind, you don’t ask anyone if what you are feeling is the TRUTH.
We don’t like to admit to others that we feel left out. Too many times, we feel ashamed to say something to a parent or a leader. So guess who wins when we don’t get help in this situation? You guessed it, the devil! Our theme for a few months is “What to do when….” It’s important that we know in advance how to handle difficult, confusing or painful situations.
This month I want to show you not only what to do when you feel left out, I want to show you how to take that weapon out of the devil’s hand so he can’t lie to you! Feeling left out can occur from something not going your way, a deception of the devil, someone’s thoughtless action, or another person’s intentionally rude or self-centered behavior. But when you understand the true source of feeling left out, it’s easier to resist being harmed or affected by it. Jesus can help you get over it pronto!
Another word for being left out is rejected. To reject means “to refuse to accept or to consider not good enough.” Everyone has experienced feelings like that. Most of the time, those moments pass quickly, and you don’t think about them anymore. The problem comes when there is a hurt place on the inside of you that says you ARE rejected! How do you stop that message from having a home in you?
First, remember that Jesus knows how it feels to be rejected. His entire hometown rejected His ministry, help and healing power! I am sure He wanted very much to heal and help His neighbors. He is ready to help you crush rejection! Turn to Him for help with these simple steps. He had to do the same things.
Whether someone means it or not, rejection is a sneaky tool of the devil. He wants you to think there is something wrong with you. So, what can you do when you feel rejected? Say, “No,” to that thought as soon as you realize it’s there! Even if someone IS rejecting you for some reason, it is NOT about you not being good enough. When someone is unkind, the real problem is ALWAYS in their own heart.
Next, forgive the person who hurt you. Jesus told us to forgive others, so He will help you do it! Whether they meant to hurt you or not, YOU need to forgive. Forgiving someone by faith is like taking a pair of scissors and cutting the string to the hurt moment. This keeps you from carrying that hurt with you. Doesn’t that make sense? You don’t want to live your life collecting hurts! Superkid, your heart is like a bucket. God wants you to carry everything HE SAYS about you in your bucket, not the hurtful words and actions of others.
It is MOST important for you to know that God has not, is not and NEVER WILL reject you! He wanted you so much that John 3:16 says He sent His only Son to die for you. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, New Living Translation).
It was ALWAYS His plan to be your Father God. He can’t reject you—you are part of His Son, Jesus. “For it was always in his perfect plan to adopt us as his delightful children, through our union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so that his tremendous love that cascades over us would glorify his grace—for the same love he has for the Beloved, Jesus, he has for us. And this unfolding plan brings him great pleasure!” (Ephesians 1:5-6, The Passion Translation).
When we know this, it is much easier to forgive those who hurt us. And not only to forgive; as children of God, we can treat them differently than they treated us. “Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory” (Romans 15:7, NLT).
Superkids, when we don’t allow the lie of rejection to enter our hearts, the love of God can come flowing freely out of us. Most importantly, we leave the hurt behind and give no place to the devil.
There is one other thing you can do that will truly help you grow in these situations. When you feel rejected, even if you take my advice and do these few powerful steps, go ahead and tell your parents or leader what happened. They can help you understand the situation better. They can minister love to you and pray with you.
Jesus puts people in your life to help you. When you feel rejected, you may feel ashamed and not tell anyone. This is another trick of the enemy. So take every tricky weapon away from him: Run to Jesus, run to those who love you and refuse rejection! You know you belong to God and to your family; and never forget, you are a Superkid. You belong to Superkid Academy!
Well done, Cadet!
Commander Kellie ♥