None of us like rejection. The simple word feels mean. And yet, all of us face rejection at some point or another in our lives. So it’s worth asking the question: How can we respond to and handle rejection well?
The most primary concern when we face rejection is the toll it takes on our sense of identity. We may find ourselves doubting who we are, our value or worth, or other relationships in our lives.
Part of handling rejection well is resisting the temptation to question your self-worth simply because someone rejected you. There is no person on this earth who defines your self-worth or your value. The only Person who does that is Jesus, and He has proven that you matter and have value by dying on the cross for you.
Rejection also stings our pride, and this allows for an opportunity for humility. Perhaps you have been rejected for a reason, something that is worth acknowledging and working on. Is there a skill that needs to improve? A weakness that could be addressed? Humility is a valuable response to rejection.
Yet another consideration is our verbal and nonverbal response in the moment of rejection. Because the moment hurts, it is so easy for our walls to come up and our tongue to lash out. But is this handling rejection well? We are wise to guard our tongues at these moments in particular. That may mean leaving the conversation or changing the topic. A good Scripture for reflection here is Ephesians 4:28.
Is this an exhaustive list? Of course not. But these three points about handling rejection well can go a long way. Don’t place your identity in anyone but Christ. Allow humility to guide your thinking and processing of the rejection. And guard your tongue in the moment, so as not to misrepresent our Lord and his compassion.