Promises, Peace, & Journal Prompts for Fear & AnxietyНамуна

Fear of Rejection

I’ll start by saying this: I am not a licensed counselor.

But I have been the girl on the couch, receiving counseling, for years.

So I come to you—with you—as a fellow learner. A fellow traveler. A fellow broken soul in need of the Savior’s balm.

This is why we need to talk about fear and anxiety. Fear and anxiety are woven together like an area rug, covering some thoughts, feelings, and past experiences. So in this Bible reading plan, we are going to lift up the rug of fear and anxiety, give a compassionate look, and see if we can make sense of what’s going on.

Often when I am feeling anxious, I am also afraid. I am afraid of being rejected or abandoned. I am afraid of the unknown. I am afraid of being powerless and out of control. Of being humiliated.

My guess is you can relate.

One of the reasons I love my dad—and also chose my husband—is because they both are safe and soft places to land. They are empathetic. They are kind. They are safe. They stay.

But I have moments in my story where I have experienced serious rejection. And this makes me anxious. Because I don’t want that experience again. So I find myself trying to do everything I can to keep rejection at bay.

If you wrestle with a fear of rejection you may be trying to do everything right—so that no one can reject you, so everyone will accept you. You may be hyper-vigilant about controlling your schedule, your image, and your weight. And you may be living with a lot of anxiety because of your hyper-vigilance. It’s a lot to manage, to keep perfect, and to keep together. It’s exhausting. It’s unsustainable. It can make you frustrated and angry. It can make you long to be free.

Don’t I get it.

As you know, a good counselor can help you through a lot of your personal past scenarios, narratives, and feelings. Please find a good counselor, if you need one. All I want to do as a Bible teacher is simply point to the Scripture that tells us a different story. The real one. Where God will never ever reject you. He will not leave you orphaned. He will not forsake you. He will not abandon you. And where you remember the people in your life who are committed to the same. I know you have evidence of being loved, cared for, and safe in your life. I do, too.

Today’s Scriptures help us to think of a new and true thought. God knows you may fear rejection, and He has written a new and true thought for you. Take your time to read each Scripture slowly when it comes to the fear of being rejected.

Also, each day I want to provide a journal prompt and a practice. Because slowing down and processing your negative narratives and replacing them with new and true thoughts is part of finding peace in the face of anxiety.

Journal Prompt: Think of a time when you were younger and you felt rejected. What feelings come up? Try to name as many feeling words as you can. Did you ever vow that this will not happen again? What kinds of things did you say to yourself? After reading the Scriptures, what has God said? Do you have evidence that this is true?

Suggested Practice: Put a hand on your chest and slowly say five times: “I am accepted and I am secure.”