DON'T FEAR REJECTION

I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass. - Isaiah 51:12

One way to overcome the fear of rejection is by keeping the right perspective. You can listen to the opinions of others, but never overvalue what they say.

In our verse today, Isaiah says our life here on Earth is temporary, so why be afraid of other people's opinions? Other people are not God, and their opinions aren't going to last, anyway.

The secret to success is to outlast your critics. Isaiah says if mortal man puts you down, don't worry about it. God is the one who counts.

Don't assume that their judgments are infallible or straight from God. You don't have to automatically accept someone's criticism; you ought to judge it for what it's worth.

When people's approval becomes all-important to you, you're setting yourself up to fear of rejection.

The Bible says, "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).

If you recognize how much God is for you, it gives you the ability to withstand rejection. For most people, all that matters to them is popularity, fame, or applause. "What do other people think of me? How do I look to everybody else? Image is everything!"

If you live that way, you are at the mercy of everybody else's judgments. If they think I'm a loser, I must be a loser! If they think I'm ugly, I must be ugly!

What a miserable way to live? Who are you more interested in pleasing? The crowd or God? You can't seek the approval of both at the same time. You have to decide who you want to impress.

Prayer: Lord, what You think of me is what matters to me.

Scriptural Reading: Isaiah 51:9-13