From Rejection to Belonging

with Andrew Palau

Have you ever felt the sadness of being rejected, passed over, or embarrassed in front of others? I have felt that. I still remember many years ago, I tried out for the basketball team at our middle school. I had high hopes, but soon realized I wasn't ready at all. I was quickly dismissed. As I look back on it, I realize it wasn’t a big deal. But at that time, it was hard for me. Many of my friends went forward with basketball, and I was left out. Feelings of rejection can take root in your life, especially if it’s something more personal and damaging than just a silly middle school basketball team.

Do you know someone who’s experienced profound rejection or childhood trauma? Who do you know who feels left out? Is there someone in your life who hasn’t had the unconditional love of their parents? Even for us, followers of Jesus, feelings of rejection are hard to shake. Can you imagine how awful rejection would feel without the comfort of God’s loving acceptance?

We know God loves us intimately—so much so that He sent His Son to bring us back to Himself. He actually wants us. Think about the people in your life who don’t know how much God wants them. How do you think God’s hope would affect them? We, as believers, know…

A better day is coming.

When this life is over, we get to spend eternity in Heaven with God. Jesus cut through all the damage which sin and brokenness have caused in our lives. By sacrificing His own life, He made a way for us to be reunited with God. No matter what has happened in the past, because of Jesus, the promise of Heaven is ours—God has prepared an eternal home for us. We belong to Him forever.

Listen to this passage from John 14:

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:1–4 NIV)

Even as we hold onto the hope of Heaven, the deep pain of now can be so difficult. Well, I want to encourage everyone I meet who feels this pain—rejection doesn’t feel right because it’s not right. We were all designed to feel accepted. We were all created for a place of belonging. We were all made to be rooted in a loving family.

People need to know—feelings of rejection don’t have to last forever. There's a way to find relief in this world and it’s only through Jesus. This is the promise of God—we’ve all been given the opportunity to live in this truth:

God has adopted us into His family.

The God of the universe, the God who created each of us—He loves us personally.

Our human parents were not perfect, but our heavenly Father loves us perfectly.

He gives good gifts, and He has good plans for each of us.

He embraces us.

He calls us each by name.

He promises in Hebrews 13:5—never will I leave you never will I forsake you.

He says: “I am near to you. I will be in you.”

And, Ephesians 1:4 says even before He made the world God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy. (Holy just means as we were meant to be—without fault in His eyes.) God decided in advance to adopt us into His family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure to do it.

This is His wonderful gift—our loving Father welcomes us with open arms. We are held close by Jesus today. In Jesus, we belong. And I know there’s someone in your life who rightly belongs in Jesus’ arms—but they don’t know it yet. They haven’t felt the freedom and power of His love and acceptance.

Let God put a name on your heart—someone who’s been rejected. They need the loving embrace of our perfect Father. He will change their life forever. Do you feel God’s heart for that person? His longing to bring them into His family? Start the conversation today, so your friend can receive God’s gift of love, acceptance, and belonging.

Let’s pray—

God, thank You for accepting us into Your family. Thank You for loving us, and surrounding us with a community of believers. In a world full of hurt and rejection, You drew near to us. You are our place of belonging. We want to invite others into your promise. Help us to tell everyone about the assurance and hope we have in You—the Good Father who calls us His own! Amen.