I love the fact that God has promised to never reject anyone who comes to Him. Yes, this is a promise from God. You may think that my behavior is not acceptable, but God makes us acceptable “in Him,” meaning in Jesus Christ. If you have faith in Jesus, you are considered to be “in Christ,” and since Jesus is acceptable to God, God views us as acceptable too.
Being accepted by God is wonderful, but we also crave acceptance from people. Everyone wants to be accepted, included, loved, and approved of, but not everyone around us is willing to give us these positive experiences. We must learn to deal with rejection, or we will be miserable much of the time. Jesus was rejected by the people He came to help, by religious leaders, and even by His own brothers who did not believe He was the Messiah. John 15:25 NKJV actually states that he was hated “without a cause” and He said that if people hated Him, they would also hate us because a servant is not greater than his masters.
In my younger days, I worried far too much about what other people thought of me. Through time in the Word, I have learned my real concern is God’s approval of me and my actions. The fact that people may reject us doesn’t mean something is wrong with us. They may have personal problems and find it difficult to approve of anyone because they don’t approve of who they are or of something about their life. If they are critical and judgmental toward themselves, those negative feelings will flow out of them toward others.
You have heard the saying, “Most people who mistreat other people have been mistreated themselves.” How we feel about ourselves is more important than most of us realize. Do you accept yourself? Or do you reject yourself? Are you waiting to be more perfect in your behavior before you will accept yourself? Remember that Jesus died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). Make sure you enjoy yourself while God is changing you and making you more like Jesus.
