2020-08-20
Proverbs 31:18 NCV
Even when we make big mistakes, or repeat the same one several times, it doesn’t change God’s mind about us. ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. I will build you up again, and you…will be rebuilt’ (Jeremiah 31:3-4 NIV). God will correct us when we need it, but we mustn’t confuse His correction with rejection. ‘The Lord disciplines the one he loves’ (Hebrews 12:6 NIV). God disciplines us because he loves us so much that He wants to help us reach our highest potential. God doesn’t reject us, so we shouldn’t let others put us down because of our past mistakes. We don’t have to boast, exaggerate, or pretend to be someone we’re not to make ourselves seem better in other people’s eyes. We can be real and authentic because we’re secure in God’s love. If we feel that we always have to please everyone, our self-worth will always be at their mercy. But God already sees us all as equal, so we don’t need to strive for approval from others. In Proverbs 31, there’s a description of a virtuous woman. Verse 18 says: ‘She knows that what she makes is good’ (NCV). She wasn’t full of pride, she was just confident in who God had made her to be, the skills He had blessed her with, and the assignment He had given her to fulfil. Her confidence came from within, not from the approval of others. When we’re feeling rejected or unappreciated by other people, let’s try to keep in mind that God created each of us for a unique purpose, and that we already have His approval and love.
Judg 7:1-9:33; Luke 15:11-32; Ps 119:105-112; Prov 18:10-12
2020-08-19
Psalm 139:14 NLV
Om verwerping te oorkom, moet jy ferm glo dat God jou fisies, intellektueel en temperamenteel ontwerp het en jou ‘n opdrag gegee het wat niemand anders kan vervul nie. Om jouself minder te maak as wat jy is, mag dalk nederig lyk, maar dis inderwaarheid ‘n vorm van trots omdat jy gevolglik God se ontwerp en plan vir jouself verwerp. Begin dus om uitdruklik saam met die Psalmdigter te verklaar: ‘Ek loof U omdat U my so besonder wonderlik gemaak het. U werke is wonderbaar, ek weet dit alte goed! My bene was vir U sigbaar toe ek stilletjies gevorm is in die dieptes van die moederskoot. U het my gesien voor ek gebore is. In u boek is alles opgeteken; elke dag is bepaal voordat een van hulle daar was. Kosbaar is u gedagtes vir my, o God! Hoe onmeetlik is die totaal!’ (verse 14-17 NLV). Waar het jy die idee gekry dat jy minderwaardig is? Of dit nou by kritiese ouers, veroordelende geestelikes, onwyse onderwysers, wrede klasmaats of ‘n eggenoot wat jou verbaal mishandel het begin het, onthou dat Satan ‘…’n leuenaar en ook die vader daarvan is’ (Johannes 8:44 NLV). Hy het iemand gebruik om vir jou oor jou waarde en potensiaal te lieg. Besluit nou om daardie leuen te verwerp. Met ander woorde: verwerp verwerping! Maak ‘n lys van elke Godgegewe gawe, bate of voordeel wat jy besit wat ‘n seën vir ander mense is of kan wees. Moenie wêreldse sisteme gebruik om jou lys te ontwikkel nie. Fokus op karaktereienskappe soos integriteit, lojaliteit, vrygewigheid, wysheid en geduld. Dink aan maniere wat jy elkeen van hierdie eienskappe kan gebruik om God te verheerlik en ‘n seën vir ander mense te wees.
Sielskos: Rig 4-6; Luk 15:1-10; Ps 119:97-104; Spr 18:9
Psalm 139:14 NIV
In order to overcome fear of rejection, you must firmly believe that God designed you physically, intellectually, and temperamentally, and gave you an assignment no one else can fulfill. Putting yourself down may seem humble, but it’s actually a form of pride because it’s causing you to reject God’s design and plan for you. So begin to emphatically declare with the psalmist: “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God” (vv. 14-17 NLT). Where did you get the idea that you are “less than”? Whether it started with critical parents, condemning clergy, unwise teachers, cruel classmates, or a verbally abusive spouse, remember that Satan is the “father of lies” (John 8:44 NLT). He used someone to lie to you about your worth and potential. Repeat: “It was a lie! It was a lie! It was a lie!” Decide to reject that lie now. In other words, reject rejection! Make a list of every God-given gift, asset, advantage, or other benefit you possess that is, or could be, a blessing to others. Don’t use worldly systems in developing your list. Focus on character issues such as integrity, loyalty, generosity, discernment, wisdom, and patience. Think of ways you can use each one of these features to glorify God and be a blessing to others.
Soul food: Judg 4-6; Luke 15:1-10; Ps 119:97-104; Prov 18:9
Psalm 139:14 NIV
In order to escape the fear of rejection, we have to wholeheartedly believe that God designed every part of us, and gave us a unique assignment. Putting ourselves down may seem humble, but it causes us to reject God’s design and plan, and settle for something less. So today, let’s declare with the psalmist: ‘Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous – how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God’ (vv. 14-17 NLT). Maybe we think we’re ‘less than’ because we’ve been criticised by family or friends, maybe we’ve been bullied at school, maybe we’ve felt condemned by a well-meaning but insensitive church leader. Whatever the circumstances, remember that Satan is the ‘father of lies’ (John 8:44 NLT), and he can use someone to lie about our worth and our potential. His goal is to stop us achieving things for God’s kingdom, and one of the ways he’ll try is to make us believe that we’re not worthy or not capable of fulfilling God’s plan. We need to stand strong on God’s promises and reject Satan’s lies. Psalm 139:14 says: ‘I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well’ (NIV). God took care over creating each one of us, so we can be sure He cares for us and values us more than we could imagine.
Judg 4-6; Luke 15:1-10; Ps 119:97-104; Prov 18:9
2020-08-18
Isaiah 43:4 NIV
Jesus experienced rejection: “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11 NKJV). But He didn’t sit around and lick His wounds; He moved on to where people gladly received Him. And He told His disciples, “Whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet” (Matthew 10:14 NKJV). Repeated rejection tends to validate the fear that we are inadequate. This is particularly so when it comes to the opinions of those we place value on. But the irony in operating out of the fear of rejection is that it ultimately results in the very rejection you were trying to avoid. When people realize you hold yourself in low regard, they deal with you accordingly. You teach people how to value you by how much you value yourself. If you never express a preference, a boundary, or any other limitation on how others interact with you, they will assume you have none, and behave toward you in that manner. Notice, even though Jesus was rejected He never responded in a way that encouraged continued rejection. He didn’t stay where He was tolerated; He went to where He was celebrated. In other words, He went to where people recognized and received His person, His purpose, and His power. He had God’s full acceptance; therefore, He did not fear man’s rejection. And you have God’s full acceptance too. “You are precious and honoured in my sight, and…I love you.” The first step to overcoming rejection is to keep God’s opinion of you in your mind at all times.
Soul food: Judg 1-3; Luke 14:25-35; Ps 119:89-96; Prov 18:6-8
