How to Cope with Rejection of the Gospel
October 28, 2024
By Michael Brown
Reprinted from The Line of Fire & The Stream
Nobody likes rejection. Nobody likes being excluded or put out. That’s because God created us to be social people, with families and friends and coworkers and teammates. That’s why it feels good to be appreciated, to be accepted, to be valued, to be honored, to be respected. In sharp contrast, rejection stings – often very deeply.
What happens, then, when our friends or family members, or coworkers reject us because of our moral and spiritual convictions? How do we suffer rejection and yet remain emotionally and spiritually healthy? Here are some simple principles that will help you not only to endure rejection but also to thrive and grow in the midst of it.
The first thing you need to remember is that this is not about you. This is about the stand you are taking – for your faith or for a righteous cause. Put another way, this is nothing personal and should not be taken personally. The rejection is not an attack against you as a human being. It is an attack against the Lord you love or against a cause that is dear to your heart. That’s the reason for the separation and alienation.
The rejection certainly hurts. It can even feel like you’ve been kicked in the stomach. It sucks the wind right out of you. But in reality, this wasn’t about you. This was about your convictions and values and beliefs. As a person, they liked you. It was your biblically based point of view that they didn’t like, and that’s why you got excluded.
It would be one thing if people didn’t like you – your personality or your looks or something else about you. It’s another thing entirely when people reject you because of your beliefs or values. That’s when you stand strong. That’s when you say, “It’s worth it.” Or would you rather abandon your convictions and beliefs in order to keep people happy with you?
A Cause for Rejoicing
Very few of us could live with ourselves if we had such a wishy-washy, spineless attitude. And don’t we all agree that some causes are worth standing for, regardless of the consequences? And isn’t there a feeling of dignity and even self-respect when you stand for something good and get rejected for it?
But this is just a starting point. The second principle takes us a little deeper and gives us even more courage and conviction. In short, we should consider it an honor to be treated the way Jesus was treated. It is our great privilege to be maligned and slandered and misunderstood for His sake. It is our profound honor to suffer the same rejection the prophets of old suffered. It is actually a cause for rejoicing!
In Acts 5, the apostles were flogged and ordered not to speak any more in the name of Jesus. Yet verse 41 records, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” What an honor! What a privilege! “We’ve been whipped and suffered disgrace for the sake of His name. Praise God!”
As Paul wrote to the Philippian believers, “For you have been given the privilege for the Messiah’s sake not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him” (Philippians 1:29, ISV). Yes, it has been granted to us as a sacred privilege to suffer for Jesus. Thank You, Lord, for this honor!
As paraphrased in The Message, “There’s far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There’s also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting.” Thank You, Lord, for this gift!
As Jesus said to His disciples,
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10–12)
Special Times
Sometimes, the Spirit of the Lord actually comes upon us when we are suffering rejection or persecution for His name. As Peter wrote,
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (1 Peter 4:12–14)
That’s why it is so important that we conduct ourselves in a Christlike way. As Peter also wrote,
If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:15–16)
More Principles
The third thing that helps us not get weighed down and discouraged with rejection is that around the world, our brothers and sisters are experiencing horrific persecution for the faith. Every day of the year, some are killed for their faith. Some are beaten. Some are arrested and jailed. Some are tortured. Some are rejected by their entire families. Some lose their jobs. And we are going to get upset because someone unfriended us on social media? We are going to complain because our coworkers don’t invite us out for lunch. Really?
Perhaps we could toughen up a little? Perhaps we could stop focusing on our feelings? Perhaps we could live as soldiers (see Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:3), recognizing that we are in a real battle and a real war? Read the words that Jesus spoke to His prospective disciples in Luke 9:57-62 and other relevant passages, and then look in the mirror and say this: “By Your grace, Lord, this is who I am. I’m Your disciple. I’m Your servant. I’m Your soldier. I’ve been bought with a price and I’m not my own. I don’t have pity parties. I will follow You through thick and thin, come what may. It’s an honor!”
The fourth principle is that, as followers of Jesus, our concern should be for those who reject the Gospel or who are on the wrong side of an important issue rather than on how the rejection makes us feel. After all, love cares about the other person. Love is concerned that they are lost or deceived or misinformed. That’s where our focus should be.
We’re trying to help people, not benefit ourselves. We’re trying to do the right thing and save people’s lives. If they reject us, we pray for them, we weep for them, we look for other ways to reach them. That’s what love does.
Let It Strike
Finally, it’s good to remember that sometimes, we are called to be lightning rods. That not only means that we draw the attacks and criticisms and rejection – that is certainly a big part of my calling — t also means that our words or our actions bring things to the surface. Now we see what is really in people’s hearts, and often it is quite ugly.
But the redemptive side is that light is exposing darkness, and sometimes the more things get exposed, the easier it is to contrast the ugliness and anger and lies and venom with God’s truth and love. That also means that, if we are conducting ourselves in a Christlike way, sometimes the uglier things get, the better we are doing our job – and many others are watching too. Keep your composure, walk in grace, and some will come out darkness into the light.
(Excerpted and adapted from Michael L. Brown,
Hearts of Compassion, Backbones of Steel: How to Discuss Controversial Topics with Love and Kindness)
Dr. Michael Brown is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. He is the author of more than 40 books, including Can You be Gay and Christian?; Our Hands Are Stained With Blood; and Seize the Moment: How to Fuel the Fires of Revival. You can connect with him on Facebook, X, or YouTube.
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