It’s Not Rejection, it’s Redirection
You know that feeling when you have high expectations for a plan in your life, but it ends up playing out in a completely different way and you’re left feeling discouraged, confused and defeated? I know we’ve all been there! It can be really easy for us to take those situations and see them as rejection from God. When things don’t go the way we want them to, we tend to be quick to throw a fist up at Him and ask, “Why in the world did it happen like this, God? What could you possibly be doing?” Those moments are hard. It’s okay to ask questions, but I encourage you to shift your perspective. Don’t see it as rejection, see it as redirection.
Something that took me a long time to truly understand and be okay with is that redirection is not a bad thing. It’s God’s provision over our lives, which actually is a really good thing! It’s hard to understand why He allows certain things to happen for us and withholds other things from us. But we know that we serve an all-knowing and all-powerful God and sometimes our limited-capacity brains aren’t able to see the full picture and that’s okay. We just have to choose to trust Him. There is a reason that God shuts doors for us. If He didn’t, we would spend too much time chasing after things that aren’t worth our efforts and don’t point us back to Christ. Instead of questioning His intentions, we should be thanking Him. God withholding things from us is Him loving and protecting us.
Maybe you are going through a tough breakup, or maybe you didn’t get the job that you thought you were made for. We all experience redirection in one way or another, and it’s okay to ask God “Why is it happening this way?” It’s okay to be upset and get frustrated. Your feelings are valid, but don’t let them control you. When God redirects your plans, you can choose to redirect your mind. Instead of looking at the situation and seeing it as the worst outcome, trust God and look at it as His protection over you. We know that God has our best interest at heart! We can be confident that when we misstep, He is always there to get us back on track to live out the purpose and calling He has on our life.
For me, a huge redirection in my life was when I got a call to go on a reality TV show. I had just graduated from Auburn University and simultaneously graduated Bible College through my church with a certificate in Pastoral Leadership. At that time in my life, I just knew that I was going to marry a pastor and lead with him at our church. However, God had very different plans for that season of my life. I ended up going on a reality dating show and my whole world got turned upside down. Even though I had no idea why God was calling me to this place, I knew that I was to listen and walk in obedience. It was one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do, but God brought me to it, and he brought me through it. The same thing goes for your life. It may not look like going on a reality dating show, but wherever the Lord leads you, choose to walk in obedience and trust. Redirection is a blessing, not a burden.
Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” I want us all to take note that planning is not a bad thing. God gave us the ability to do so and we should plan the things that we can. However, we should never allow ourselves to think that because of this ability, we have full power and authority over our lives as God does. He is the one that truly establishes our steps. We must hold our plans loosely and humbly before God, surrendering to His will and letting Him take control.
Challenges:
1. Surrender. Never hold on to plans too tightly that you are not willing to let go. When God redirects you, choose to surrender to Him and let Him lead you.
2. Trust. It’s easy to say that you trust God, but it’s harder to actually walk like you do. In everything you do, humbly submit yourself to God and trust that His way is better!
3. Rest. Stop trying so hard to control the things that you can’t control. Rest in the fact that God knows you better than you know yourself and He wants the very best for you. His redirection is provision.
Prayer:
Lord, you are so good. You are sovereign over all things and we are so grateful for the way you care for us. Thank you that we can trust our lives in your care and rest in the fact that you have our best interest at heart. Thank you that even when we get frustrated and question your decisions, you show us grace. Thank you that your redirection shows us favor and shows us blessing. I pray that each and every one of us would keep our eyes focused on you first and foremost, and that we would surrender our control and our plans to you. I pray that we would be reminded that your way is better and that when you withhold things from us, you are loving and protecting us. May everything we do be done in love and to bring you glory. We love you. In Jesus’ name! Amen!