You see, writers write. BUT published writers submit. (I learned that at my writers conference). So I have been submitting some articles for publication. And guess what. I have gotten rejected...cast away as worthless. Ouch.
But I'm in good company. In the bible, David was rejected. He was rejected by his father & brothers as the littlest - yet he was chosen by God. How about Jesus? Talk about rejected, he was crucified. And yet, he is God's son; and will live and reign forever. I'm certainly not comparing myself with either of these bible greats. No, I fall far short.
My point is, we have all felt the sting of rejection. Perhaps you were rejected by your number one college choice, perhaps that cute boy from your 7th grade class rejected you, maybe you were the last picked in gym class - rejected, or maybe that person you admired and worked up the courage to introduce yourself to made you feel rejected. But you don't need to feel cast away as worthless.
We have been chosen by God, as adopted heirs to the throne. If we get rejected 1 million times, we are still children of God. So - hooray for us!
The dictionary showed me something else about the word reject. It's the word that follows it: rejoice. Isn't it ironic that rejoice should follow rejection? But I can rejoice, in spite of being rejected.
I may not be the best writer in the world...but Jesus loves me. This I know.
***One Last Thought - this blog is not looking for comments on how foolish an editor was for rejecting my piece or anything of that nature. Being rejected is how I will learn to improve my writing, and what a particular editor is looking for. It is a learning process for me, and the wonderful lady who recently rejected my work reads my blog. So no negative comments please. This is a blog to comment not on the fact that I was rejected - but that we all were chosen. Chosen to be children of God!***
Isaiah 41:9 -- {the Lord said} "I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you."
Galatians 4:7 -- So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
John 14:23 -- Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
10 comments:
I am so glad our God loves us so much! He can personally relate to every hurt feeling we could ever have. You are a beautiful child of God!
Hi CK!
My first rejection letter was a form letter, followed with a handwritten note from the editor scrawled across the bottom of it: "Keep trying! Someone will publish this!" Well, no one actually did publish the fiction that I had submitted to her, but I did call her, establish a connection, and met her personally some 12 years later! She still hasn't published me, LOL!, but through the years, she has taught me that an editor's rejection is God's redirection. So today, in honor of your post, I'm going to spend some time rejoicing over the rejections God has used (and continues to use!) to redirect me!
Have a great day!
The opposite of submit probably shouldn't be reject. Sadly, in the world of publishing, there is no time for being personal. For saying, "Great topic, just not for any upcoming issue this year." Or, "Love you, but we are going with someone else this time."
It's just the nature of the business, and once you become accustomed to how that works, you will feel less like things are rejected and more like, OK....somewhere else, sometime else...there's always my blog and my faithful readers.
You're doing well with picking up on all these things so quickly! Hang in there....
Save those rejection letters! They make great tools for encouraging other writers to keep at it! I'm glad you were able to take a painful situation and see the good in it.
When I first began writing years ago, Kelly, I was tempted to feel rejected by an editor's words.
Then I realized I had a choice. So I chose to listen to the words of wisdom and not allow it to effect me personally. I realized that there were dues to pay and a craft to be honed.
And I have never looked back.
It helps when we know that we are not being rejected - just refined! :)
How interesting that rejection is followed by rejoice. That is a lesson learned in itself.
You're right that everyone has felt and or has been rejected at one time or another. You and I both live with the same rejection of a certain woman. But look how far we have come! If she had been the same woman she has always been but DIDN'T reject us....perhaps we would have ended up thinking the things she did weren't so bad. Perhaps we would have followed in her footsteps. Perhaps her rejection made us who we are. Perhaps, just perhaps....we are better off because of it.
Hi Kelly
I'm not a writer, but I wish you all the best!
Hi Kelly,
I can relate! Look up the word in the dictionary again, because I'm sure you missed seeing my picture!
One thing I am sure of is that I will never be rejected by God! Jesus loves me and that is what matters most.
I have been rejected by family members because of my stand for Christ more times than I can count. And for many years I would hide or silence my words and my gifts if I knew they would be around. Recently God has challanged me to let go of the acceptance I so long for from this family, so that I can fully feel His acceptance. I can't know His acceptance fully until I quit looking at others.
I know this is different from getting a rejection letter...got some of those too. But it hit a note with me about the rejoicing part.
I am going to please God and leave behind the rejection of my family. Because Mark 10:29-30 tells me He will give me a hundred-fold all that I count as loss, in THIS lifetime and in eternity! Rejoice for His ways and gifts are a hundred-fold (and greater) than any of man's!
Thank you God!
Pamela R.
I totally get why you posted on that subject. I loved the dictionary part!
didn't Jesus say count it a blessing when you are rejected or something like that rejoice b/c you are getting better!! we learn from things like rejection.and I am sure they well be calling you back the same people that rejected you.marina
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