Once again, I have found myself in a season of waiting, and let me tell you, it has been a challenge! Waiting is one thing, but waiting when you know you’re in alignment with God’s promise and will for you can make waiting that much harder. About eight months ago, the Holy Spirit led me to reach out to a company and inquire about working there. They didn’t have any positions at the time, so, it felt pointless, but I was obedient. They responded quickly with intentions to get back to me after they looked at my resume. What I expected to be a one-month journey has turned into eight months. To work with this company would be life-changing for me. Everything lines up with my calling and the direction God has me in. It’s perfect. Almost too good to be true – too good to the point where I almost felt unworthy of it.
Over the course of time, I hadn’t heard back and as soon as I felt discouraged, and ready to give up, I’d pray, and sure enough, hear from them. One step closer to the dream. Then a period of silence. And the cycle repeats itself. Until one day, I finally see a leap in this situation. I was sent an official job application. This company decided to create more positions before taking me through a hiring process. I filled out the application and heard absolutely nothing for over a month. Just when I thought the ball was rolling it came to an anticlimactic halt. In the midst of my waiting, at some point I expected rejection, so, to avoid putting all of my eggs in one basket, I applied for other jobs I knew I’d be qualified for. That makes sense, right? That’s what I thought until I sat back and asked myself if I was putting applying for other jobs because “faith without works is dead”(James 2:14-17) or because my faith is lacking in this particular situation. Because I’m not believing God for just any job, I was believing God for that job I inquired about eight months ago.
After some time of tussling with doubt, I got an interview. This was it. I had felt as though I could see the light! I had forgotten all about the other jobs I had applied for. I figured that after this, everything would be smooth sailing, but when things suddenly slowed down again, I was quickly put back into remembrance of all of those jobs I applied for when my patience and faith decreased. For the past two weeks, I’ve been faced with one rejection after the next, and I was left with a choice. I could either be discouraged from the rejection or see it as God’s divine direction for me instead.
Rejection is something we’ve all encountered at some point. What I’ve learned is that no matter how that rejection came or what the rejection was connected to, that isn’t a reflection of who you are, it’s actually a chance for you to better understand who and where God has called you to be.
There’s a phrase you likely hear all the time, “whatever is for you, is for you!” They’re not wrong, but, sometimes we hear thank and think that whatever we want for us, is for us. And that my friend, is how rejection can hurt us. Even if this situation doesn’t work out I know that what’s for me won’t miss me. What God has for you, is for you and you alone. You are uniquely designed to carry out a great work on Earth, and there will be situations, environments, people, and circumstances connected to the cultivation of your purpose-filled life (1 Corinthians 2:9). You weren’t rejected because you lack in some way or fail to meet some sort of criteria. Like the bumpers on the sides of a bowling lane, rejection bounces you back into your God-given lane, so that you can collide with His plans for you (Romans 8:28). Don’t let rejection define you, if anything, let it direct you.
