Rejection is painful. We want to be affirmed, received and accepted. There’s nothing wrong with such a desire. We were designed to be accepted by our Creator so we would seek Him. Once we find Him, we realize He was the One looking for us the whole time. Once we receive Him, we realize that He was the One wanting and waiting to receive us! Since we can’t see Him, we often seek approval, affirmation and acceptance from the ones we can see, and this leads us down some dangerous paths. If you have been rejected, you know the pain this can cause—sometimes for life! However, as we’ll see on Sunday, sometimes rejection is a means of God’s protection. Sometimes the person and/or position we are seeking would be the worst thing in the long run and God steps in and providentially hinders our so-called success. While rejection may well sting our ego, we should remember that our momentary ego bruise may well be the Lord’s long-term protection plan. He can be trusted with the big picture and the details. It’s okay to confess the hurt of rejection but please remember that the One who has received you has a future for you that is better than anything you can possibly imagine.