How can I overcome rejection?

from the old testament

• Jacob’s son, Joseph, knew all too well the reality of rejection. Although he was an innocent boy, his brothers hated him so much that they plotted to kill him (Genesis 37:18-20). Although he survived, he spent his youth being a stranger in a foreign land, Egypt (Genesis 37:39-41), in which he was cast into prison for a crime he didn’t commit (Genesis 39:11-20). Yet because God was with Joseph, his rejection did not hold him back from fulfilling God’s purposes. Years later, after Joseph had been put in a place of royalty and power, He met his brothers with mercy and reconciliation instead of rejection, and through God preserved his family, as well as others, from death (Genesis 45:4-8; Genesis 50:20).

from the new testament

• When we belong to Christ, we are children of God (John 1:12-13), and He loves and fully accepts us. After we've shared our hurt with our Father, we can seek His comfort; this comes through prayer and through the truth of God's Word.
• We need not be offended when people reject us because of Christ. Instead, we can ask for God's heart for such people and pray that they will come to know Him. Jesus is the only Savior (John 14:6), if people reject Him, they remain condemned (John 3:16-18). With God's perspective, the pain of rejection shifts from personal affront to sadness at the offender’s lost state and desire for them to come to know Christ.
• Sometimes we are rejected because we are Christians. Jesus told His followers, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:18-19).
• At other times, rejection is caused by a relationship or job or other circumstance not being a good fit. It may take us aback, but we can "know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers" (Romans 8:28-29).
• We can take comfort in God’s promises, knowing that despite what the world says, we are loved by our Heavenly Father (Romans 8:31-39). He’s loved us in the past, in the present, and will forevermore in eternity.
• Rejection can weigh us down, but refocusing our attention on the amazing promises and blessings from God gives us hope (Ephesians 1:3).
• Remembering our identity in Christ can remove some of the sting of human rejection. (Ephesians 1:4-10). Knowing that God—the Creator of the Universe and the Savior of mankind—chose us to be His adopted child should bring confidence and security despite the earthly rejection we face.
• While rejection should not cause us to question our fundamental worth, it is okay for rejection to prompt self-reflection and even Christ-centered change. If God reveals something in us that needs to change, it is not to shame us, but to grow us in Christ and complete His good work (Philippians 1:6; 2:12-13).

implications for today

Rejection is a common, normal experience. It happens in relationships, in business ventures, and in other pursuits. Even those who know Jesus as Savior and know that their identity is in Christ rather than the opinions of others are not immune to the hurt of rejection. As painful as rejection can be, we can heal from it with God, who is the Healer. An important step is to acknowledge our emotions and share our hurt with God (Matthew 11:28-30). Pretending that rejection did not occur or that it doesn't hurt will not heal us. Besides, God already knows. In fact, He understands our feelings more deeply than we can imagine. All we have to do is look at how many rejected Jesus during His time on earth or look at how many still reject God's offer of love and grace. God can certainly empathize with us. We will continue to deal with rejection throughout our lives, but it shouldn’t define us or hinder us from fulfilling the good works God has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 1:6). In fact, rejection can be an opportunity to experience God's comfort and even be reminded of His steadfast, unfaultering, and unconditional love for us (Romans 8). God's plans for our lives do not fail because of rejection. Amazingly, by God’s grace—-rejection can be an opportunity for our spiritual growth (James 1:2-5; Romans 5:3-5).