Earlier this month, I was going onto my school’s website and it was time for me to change my password. We have to change our password ever so often and they usually give us about 30 days to change it. Personally, I be trying to hold on to my old password as long as I can before creating the new one because it’s something new I have to think about. Then, once I get to the page and log in with my old stuff, I then have to come up with a new password. Finally, I put in a new password and then it says ACCESS DENIED !! It also leaves little tips of reasons my password was not selected. Y’all probably know the list:
You need certain characters in your password
You can’t use basic passwords like your birthday or social security ( I hope you wouldn’t do that )
* Then the last one says “ you can’t use any of the last five passwords”
Now that last one infuriated me !! Like what you mean I can’t use the same last FIVE passwords !! I can’t think of anything else !! I want to use something I already know ! That last bullet is the one that really makes me avoid having to go change my password in the first place so I won’t have to face them denying my password. Then I just really started to think about the feeling of rejection. It’s no worse feeling of confronting or going after something to only get DENIED . Whether it be a job you applied to or a lover that dumped or left you… rejection is something we all may face in life. Rejection is something no one wants to experience or feel but I’m learning it’s also needed at times for growth and guidance. Now imagine if everything we wanted, God allowed us to have….
That hot guy/girl you have a big crush on…
That dream car that costs tons of money …
The career you wanted without having any of the necessary credentials ….
Life would be just great !!!! Huh ??
Well I beg to differ and let me tell you why ….
We would probably be going in the wrong direction or getting into unnecessary problems still with all these things listed. ….. OR this could even lead to unnecessary distractions or wasted time. I don’t know about y’all but I am learning to be thankful in the moments I am faced with rejection. I am also aware that there is an enemy set out to steal, kill, and destroy, whom will try to confuse you in the midst of your rejection. That same enemy is willing to do anything it can to get you on the wrong path. This is why it’s important to be alert during our moments of rejection. In this blog I want to share three thoughts to rest on the next time you may face rejection.
1)My rejection is my protection !!
See the primary purpose of passwords is that it helps protect someone from stealing our identity. If, the password is easy to obtain, it permits the oppurtunity for anyone to take what you have and use it against you. Although, it may irritate me that I’m denied access sometimes, I have to remind myself that this is a form of protection. I remember when I first applied for this Masters program shortly after I graduated college to only later receive a rejection letter. I was so upset and confused about why God did not allow me to have this wonderful opportunity.
But what I know now is not what I knew then. If I would have started school, I probably would have ended up not being able to complete the program or making bad grades because that’s when a huge transition happened in my life. My dad had passed away and shortly afterwards we lost our home. Which lead me to then help take care of my siblings. It took me about a couple years to truly get back stable after all of that (Feel free to watch the full story here). Now, I could not even imagine going through all that while in grad school now !! I would have probably dropped out, but now I’m currently in grad school with more stablilty, more peace, and making all As at that !! I had this ideal picture in my head of how and when I wanted things to happen in my life but God’s plans prevailed !!
I am now learning to be thankful in my moments of rejection because its a reminder of how my God is a protector. I serve a God that wants to protect my identity and purpose for my life. I serve a God that knows the beginning and the end better than I ever will !! I serve a God that will make it to where some things are not allowed to enter our life because he sees it as nothing but TOXIC for us. Isn’t that a more positive way to look at it !!! Our God will allow rejection to take place in order to help guide us and protect the calling HE has on our life. We may think we want something but we don’t know what’s on the other side of that WANT.
2. My rejection is not my destination !!
After, getting rejected from entering my account, I got frustrated because now it was taking even more time to do what I was already trying to do in the first place!! I was in such a rush that I probably skipped some letters or numbers or some steps in order to retrieve access. Just how I was rushing to log into my account is how I feel like how we can get at times. We want to rush and have access to all God has for us so quickly but we must remember that great things take time. This sometimes can cause us to fall under the trap and get stuck in a place when facing rejection but we must remember to keep going and not to give up !! Inside that rejection, may be a process before receiving access to the promise God has for us. We may even see rejection as a way to slow us down but it also helps us go back to God even more.
A great example of this is seen in the book of Exodus with the story of Moses. Moses consistently had to approach Pharoah only to get rejected. He kept getting turned away but God had an ideal plan in mind. However, this did not cause Moses to give up and allow the Israelites to remain in bondage as slaves in Egypt. Moses knew despite the rejection he faced that there was a promise he had to get to !! He was persistent until Pharoah said yes !! Just like Moses, sometimes we have to overcome our rejection by choosing to press and move forward !! Every time Moses was rejected, he still CHOSE to go back to God and see what HE had to say. We must remember that God knows our destiny and not man. Man may tell you no but God has the final say !! We cannot let one rejection keep us there !! For there is a door waiting to be open but it may take a few no’s to get you to the YES God has for you !!
3. My rejection allows reflection !!
Finally, I have to spend time in recreating a new password or rethinking my old password in order to retrieve access. My password is something very vital for me to receive all the information I need. With this in mind, the reason that significant other or friend may have stopped talking to you or that job might not have hired you will 9/10 bother you but it also opens the door to reflect and move forward. It’s very important that we take control of how we reflect and what we let take control of our mind.
Sometimes we may want to automatically assume that something is wrong with us when faced with rejection but we must be cautious and ready to cast out negative thoughts that may come after facing that rejection. Shortly after, we may even sometimes replay scenarios of what I could have done better or what I did wrong in our head. BUT we must be aware and rise up to the battle happening in our mind.
Then with reflection comes prayer!! Pray for clarity, direction, or whatever you need in those moments of rejection. It’s important to be watchful in these moments and during these times of reflection because it’s in these moments the enemy can easily get access to play with our mind. With having so many emotions after facing rejection, it puts us in a vulnerable position which can easily open the door for the enemy to mess with us and get access to other areas.
Closing out, my main objective of writing this blog was to hopefully encourage others to recognize and take advantage of these opportunities to reflect. Also to become more aware the next time we may face rejection and not just sit there and let it get the best of us. I really hope and pray this blog blesses you. Thanks for reading.
With Love,
Crissy Roe
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