Quiet Falls on the Woods

“It lacks focus” –I got the news my photo did not win in a photo contest. Simply put it was rejected in favor of “better” photos. I do not deal well with rejection. Often I tumble into the “blues” with the smallest rebuff, carrying the hurt for days. I try telling myself I am being overly sensitive but that does nothing but make me feel guilty about my mental weakness. Even as I reread this paragraph I feel foolish for letting something so small upset me. It does not even come close to life’s major rejections like divorce, or getting fired. Yet there it sits a lump of hurt in the middle of my life.

I am tempted to deal with it by thinking ugly thoughts about those who won: “They knew the judges…It was all rigged against me… People are dumb and cannot recognize how wonderful my pictures are…I’ll teach them, I won’t enter their stupid contest next year.” Such angry thoughts only end up leaving me more isolated and hurt, and do nothing but make me bitter.

The Psalms speak about rejection:

Though my father and mother forsake me, God will receive me. Ps.27:10

Now that is a major rejection — amazingly, God will receive me even when my family can’t stand me.

 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

¹⁰ Those who know your name will trust in you,

for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Psalms 9:9-10

…hmm, God will never forsake me when I seek him. Through these verses Holy Spirit leads me away from bitterness and self-pity to a place where  I can breathe in God’s love and let go of the hurt. The hard part for me is to receive God’s love as the true measure of me … I have to keep rereading these verses until they stick.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.  “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul., “therefore I will hope in Him.”  Lamentations  3: 22-24

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11: 28-30

I am so thankful life is not about people liking my photos, or even liking me. To my relief, life is about God: His love, His faithfulness and learning to abide in Him.