A Prayer When Church People Reject You
By Kelly Balarie
“No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 1:8 NLT
The Facebook post read: “Don’t be offended if we do events without you. People in this group already have established friends.” I stared at the post for a long while, sizing it up… Was this post directed towards me? It sure seemed like it. I was the new girl at church. I was the person hoping and looking to make friends with other moms. I was the one seeking new relationships. I was the one who was experiencing small, repeated slights from these folks. And now? Now, a message was sent out saying, essentially, “We are getting together without you, and don’t get upset.”
I felt like a fool. My heart sagged (as if that’s even a thing). It sank deep down into the couch of rejection, never wanting to show its face again at church. And what kind of church was this, anyway? A church that doesn’t welcome people. A church full of cliques. A church that shoos new people away. A thousand thoughts went through my head.
At the same time, thoughts of Jesus came to mind, too. Jesus was rejected by those He loved. The disciples fled from the cross during His hour of need. Judas, one of the twelve disciples, blatantly rejected Jesus -- to His face. The religious leaders seemingly crucified Jesus with their words, even before He made it up on those wooden beams.
What if Jesus gave up on God because man gave up on Him? Yet, He didn’t. Jesus endured and secured victory – forever. There are eternal victories that are secured when I keep loving God and mankind despite man’s actions. There is power when I forgo feelings of discouragement to stand as a beacon of encouragement to others, even though.
It’s true that sometimes, those we expect to be the most holy do the most horrid things. At the same time, that doesn’t mean God isn’t good, that His church isn’t powerful, or that God isn’t incredibly at work. Man may hurt us – but God will never forsake us. And even through man’s imperfect ways, God’s still working out a perfect plan. So, the Facebook post? I decided then and there that rejection would be my invitation into greater communion with God’s love.
In Micah 1:8, Scripture says, “No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Despite the face of what feels like a wrong, I will love them anyway. Despite my feelings of hurt, I will extend mercy. Despite my pride that wants to make it personal, I will let go and bless them all the more.
Let’s pray:
Father, I feel hurt, pushed aside, rejected, abandoned, ignored. I feel discouraged, down, and depleted from man’s actions. I admit that my feelings are driving my outlook. I do repent of that. I do not want to be feelings-driven but Word-centered. I want your words, the very Word of God, to be my words. I want your love to be my love. I want your hope to be seen by my eyes. Today, I give you all those feelings. In exchange, I ask you to mount me up in fresh strength, new hope, and deep love for others – even those who have hurt me. Help me to rise above man-made ditches and to pour out love like You did on the cross.
In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/WDnet
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