Shake it off!

As I sit reflecting on my life, I am grateful to see another year! I realize that I’ve overcome many challenges, heartaches/breaks, and disappointments that I know I’ve overcome by the grace of God! I think about my childhood, teens years, college years, mid twenties and now at 31 I can acknowledge that there are some things I still struggle with…one in particular is rejection!  Because I never dealt with or knew how to deal with rejection as a child, occasionally when circumstances and situations occur, I feel like the little girl who was rejected. I sometimes fight the feeling by pretending that I am okay and that I don’t care.. usually to save face and because of pride…Not wanting anyone to see or know that my feelings are hurt.  But, I am still struggling with it and if we are all honest, we’ve each experienced some level of rejection whether it is from friends, family, coworkers, church members, whomever and are still experiencing rejection!

Yesterday, God led me to the story of Jesus traveling to his hometown, Nazareth.  He was with his disciples and decided to preach and teach in the synagogue in Nazareth.  The people hearing him were astonished asking each other, ” “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?”  Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon.  And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.” (Mark 6: 2b-3 NLT)

What’s interesting about this story is that Jesus was on his mission, fulfilling his purpose, going from town to town and just healed the woman with the blood disease for 12 years and raised a young girl from the dead.  He performed miracles from another town but decided to go to his hometown to visit, and perhaps to perform miracles and to preach and teach.  However, after preaching instead of the people being astonished that they were in the presence of the Son of Man, the Messiah, they were astonished and offended that someone from “their town” whose father was a carpenter, could have the wisdom and understanding to preach and teach as he did.  How many of you have experienced people not believing in your work, your craft, your gift or people reminding you of who you USE TO BE and where you’ve come from? How many family, friends, coworkers rejected your goals, your dreams, or even YOU?  How did it make you feel?  Worthless?  Unappreciated?  Low? The people in Nazareth, the town where Jesus was born, could not fathom how Jesus was able to perform miracles and to preach as he did.  Their hearts were hard and they could not see Jesus for who he was.  They couldn’t look past his outer appearance, his background, to see that the Savior of the World was standing before them.

Because of the lack of belief from the people of Nazareth, Jesus could not do a mighty work there, but only a FEW miracles (Mark 6:5).  Could it be that the miracle you are waiting for hasn’t come because of your lack of belief?  Are you waiting for God to do something big?  Could it be that God is waiting for you to REALLY BELIEVE in WHO HE IS and that he is able to “exceedingly abundantly above all that you could ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Jesus experienced rejection…from HIS OWN PEOPLE…can anyone relate?  You begin a business or opportunity, you decide to step out on faith and quit the job, go back to school, apply for the loan, and you have doubters saying comments that crush your spirit and make you second guess yourself.  Jesus’ RESPONSE to the rejection speaks volumes.  He was aware that the people of Nazareth lacked belief, he was astonished, however, he “went from village to village, teaching the people” (Mark 6:6).  Jesus’ response to rejection was that HE DIDN’T ALLOW IT TO STOP HIS MISSION AND PURPOSE.  Jesus moved along to the next village who had a heart and desire to change, to believe, to receive a miracle.  This is what we must do.  When we experience rejection, we should not allow it to stop us from our goals, dreams, and purpose!   We must block the negative thoughts and words, unfollow, unfriend, or separate ourselves from anyone or anything that will cause us to doubt who we are and our calling. I’m sure Jesus felt a certain way… i mean he was human! So he knows and knew then the feelings that come from rejection! But instead of stopping his mission and feeling defeated, he kept moving forward! He didn’t use it as a reason to NOT complete his purpose!

What was interesting is that Jesus’ disciples were with him to witness his response.  Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out to the villages, to teach, and gave them power to perform miracles.  He gave them instructions for their journey telling them not to take anything with them but a walking stick (he wanted them to learn to trust in God to provide while they do His work).

“Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town.  But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate. So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God.  And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil” (Mark 6:10-13).  The disciples witnessed Jesus being rejected by his own, and his response to the rejection.  Because he walked the walk, he could tell his disciples to do the exact same if the people they encountered rejected them.

We have to remember that as we serve God, we are not greater than he and will experience what Jesus experienced while he was on this earth.  “Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’  Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.  They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected he one who sent me.”  (John 15: 18-21). Because Jesus was rejected, he told his disciples that it would happen to them as well AND what to do when it happens.

So what can we gather from this story? SHAKE THE DUST FROM YOUR FEET! When people reject you…SHAKE THE DUST FROM YOUR FEET! When you get the NO from the job, opproutnity, or loan officer…SHAKE THE DUST FROM YOUR FEET…move forward and continue to strive for your goals, your dreams, your purpose.  Rejection WILL happen…over and over.  However, it is your response to rejection that is most important.  Will you acknowledge the rejection and move forward and continue as Jesus did?

I’ve learned how to FINALLY deal with rejection! I understand that we live in a broken world and will experience the trials and tribulations of life! But how should we respond? 1. Acknowledge the rejection… don’t try to act as if it doesn’t exist…2.Remember that it happened to Jesus and you are NOT exempt, 3. SHAKE IT OFF and move forward knowing that your purpose, goals, and dreams will be fulfilled. Don’t charge it to the person, the job, the situation because there will come a time when those who rejected you will remember… to this day we ALL know the people of Nazareth rejected Jesus! 🤷🏾‍♀️ SHAKE IT OFF!

Love, Ashley Nicole