Have you ever felt rejection? It cuts deep. It knocks the wind out of you. It’s a pain that lingers, causing you to doubt your own worth. So when it happens, do you try to ignore it? Or do you try to eat, shop, or entertain your way out of it?
People will disappoint us; leaders will mislead us. Life will often serve up broken promises. And over time, trust can crack like an egg, spilling its contents over us. But we can either run from rejection, or we face it head-on.
Jesus didn’t run from rejection. Isaiah 53:3-4 reminds us: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.”
Jesus knew God always has a purpose for the pain, and because of that truth, He willingly embraced it. The gospel message is that Jesus endured rejection so that we can have abundant life. But His sacrifice must be applied in order for that life to take effect.
In your own seasons of pain, know this one truth: You are not alone. Jesus sees. He knows. He cares. He’s been there. And because He has suffered, He offers a comfort not merely rooted in intellectual assent but in compassionate understanding. Through His death, Jesus secured our pardon. Through His resurrection, He secured our daily hope. He is the promised Messiah who not only came for us but also remains as our lifeline and assurance.
Therefore, turning to Jesus as your help is the wisest thing you could ever do. He is uniquely positioned to provide guidance, comfort, strength, and power. Jesus’ life and ministry are like no other. Jesus is that “friend who stays closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). He is “a helper who is always found in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1). He is your Mediator and your Master. He is your risen King.
Adapted from Like No Other: The Life of Christ, an 8-session Bible study by Tony Evans. To learn more or purchase the study, visit BibleStudiesforLife.com.
