What should I do when I don’t feel affirmed, and I feel rejected?

Psalm 27:10Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.

Isaiah 49:15“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!”

When we feel unaffirmed or rejected, we should remember that God loves us more than any human ever could. Even when our closest relationships disappoint us, God remains faithful.

Isaiah 53:3He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

John 1:10-11He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.

Hebrews 4:15This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

1 Peter 2:4You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.

Jesus knows how being rejected feels. He was even rejected by his family who thought he was crazy (Mark 3:21) and his closest followers who betrayed and denied him and by those who mocked and tortured him in his final hours, people he had come to save. When we feel unaffirmed and rejected, we can find comfort in our Lord who understands our pain.

Ephesians 4:16He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

1 Thessalonians 5:11So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Hebrews 10:25Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Sometimes, when we feel unaffirmed and rejected, we withdraw from others even further. This isolates us from other Christians who could encourage and support us. Every believer is a part of the body of Christ, and when a part is separated from the rest of the body, it doesn’t last long. We should not allow fear or discouragement to hold us back from seeking the Christian fellowship we need.

Matthew 5:44“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

Luke 6:22“What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man.”

John 5:19So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”

Romans 12:17Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.

1 Peter 3:17Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

1 Peter 4:15-16If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!

Sometimes, the world rejects us because we are honoring God. Jesus warns us that we will be persecuted, and we are promised honor and reward in the face of persecution. But we should also be humble enough to consider the possible reasons for others rejecting us. Sometimes anger, self-righteousness, bitterness, and pride inspire us to return evil for evil. If we are suffering because of our own un-Christlike behavior, we should pray for God to help us love and forgive our enemies. Only then can we be a pure witness for Christ.