Title: Moving On/Topic: Handling Rejection

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 1; Leviticus 2; Leviticus 3; Acts 13

Scripture: Acts 13:49-52
49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Observation: Paul and Barnabas go to their own people and are rejected by many of them. They are wrongly mistreated. How do they respond to this rejection and mistreatment? They shake the dust from their feet and go to others who welcome them and their message. They leave their own people and go to strangers who are receptive and respectful of them. What is the result? They are filled with joy and with the holy Spirit.

Application: I need to handle rejection the way Paul and Barnabas did. They did not wallow in self-pity over the way their own people had rejected and bad-mouthed them nor did they respond in kind. They simply left those that wouldn't receive what they had to say and went to those who would. Too often I mourn over others, especially family or close friends, who reject me or treat me with less respect and love than they should. But being depressed over a situation doesn't change anything for the better and it causes me to waste my life in negative emotions. I need to simply spend time with those who want to be with and learn from me. This is much easier said than done. It's hard not to mourn the loss of relationships that are important to us with people that we care about. But Jesus gave us the same example as we have here. His hometown family and buddies rejected him. But he kept focused on God and those who wanted relationship with him.

Prayer: Father, help me to control my thoughts and to keep them focused on you, your purpose for my life and on those who receive me in positive ways. I do you no honor and no one any good if I wallow in thoughts of rejection and sadness over the loss of relationships I want to have but that aren't as they should be. I want the joy and fullness of the Holy Spirit in my life that Paul and Barnabas experienced when they shook the dust off their feet and simply moved on. May I always be moving on in positive ways.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.