The Israelites went up to Bethel and inquired of God. They said, “Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Benjamites?” The LORD replied, “Judah shall go first.” Judges 20:18
When the Bible talks about the life of Christ it makes it very clear that our Lord was tempted in “all points” (Hebrews 4:15, KJV). Jesus not only carried our physical pain but he also suffered emotionally. If you read Isaiah 53:3, you will see that one of the first points of pain Jesus went through was the pain of rejection; “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain”. John the beloved noticed this in the life of Christ and that is the reason he highlights this in the very first chapter of the Gospel of John; “He came to his own people, and even they rejected him” (John 1:11, NLT).
In the Bible we see different people having such different reactions to seasons of rejection; the first murder in the Bible that was committed by Cain was birthed out of the pain of rejection (Genesis 4:3-5). Moses fled from the midst of the people he was called to serve because he was rejected (Exodus 2:14,15). When Saul was rejected he wanted to hide his rejection by wanting to be honored before the people (1 Samuel 15:24-30). Every one of these men reacted to rejection in a wrong way. There was one in the Bible that reacted to rejection in a way that was so pleasing to God that out of her pain of rejection came forth a blessing that changed the face of the world. In Genesis 29:31-35 we read the story of Leah, one who was rejected by her husband. Three times she made an effort to win her husband’s love but failed; but instead of expressing her pain in a negative way she chose to bring forth praise: “Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!”” (Genesis 29:35). This is the first place in the Bible that praise is mentioned: praise that was birthed from a place of pain. Out of this tribe of Judah was born our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:14). From the place of pain was birthed praise and from the place of praise was birthed life and hope for a dying and hurting world. May your place of rejection become to you a place of praise and out of your place of praise you will experience life.
Declaration: I choose NOT to let the pain of rejection lead my life but I choose to let my praise lead the way. From a place of praise I will experience the life of God in my situation.
Scripture: From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise on account of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and avenger. Psalm 8:2