“Rejection is God’s protection.”

I heard myself saying to the young woman the very same words that had been uttered to me, among other inspirational thoughts in an attempt to explain why people turn away.  My heart went out to her because she had obviously found herself in a place of awesome loneliness.

To be largely left alone is a gift unrealized by the masses and unappreciated by many because of the natural human need to feel accepted—a nagging byproduct of the human condition.  However, not one so strong it can’t be overcome.

Aloneness, a more accurate description of the condition, is a necessary ingredient in the recipe for greatness.  Greatness, often confused with popularity, requires insight into self.  Others play a very small role in this part of the process, if at all.

However, I digress.

The young woman’s account brought back memories of how the icy finger of rejection selectively touched a few of those I held closest.  It hurt at the time, but I later realized that when impending elevation looms, God begins to pull people away—those who distract and those who can’t go with.

Oftentimes and especially if we tend to be loyal and devoted by nature, He knows that we would not let go unless we are let go of.  So goes the rejection.  “It’s hard to understand,” I said.  “But use this time as God intends.  Study, work, fast, pray, develop discipline, and acquire knowledge; treat yourself well.  You will need this where you are going.  And close your mouth.  Keep your plans to yourself.  Sharing the great wonderful that God has revealed to you as your destiny only provokes envy in those who have yet to discover the route to their own great wonderful.  And when this season is over, past, and gone, God will place people around you who are of like mind and purpose.  In keeping it real, don’t hold yourself back!”

The look in her eyes let me know that she couldn’t hear me past her pain.  I told her that I would pray for her, and I meant it.  She would stay on my mind just because she is a reminder that no matter what we go or have gone through, that we are not the only ones experiencing the place that we are in or the places where we’ve been.  When you become attached to people and time has fastened the hold, it’s hard to let go.

But O, the glorious day when we let go, let God, and move on, we find that our steps lead us to promised land.  It is then that we realize how our journey played its part and the beautiful truth in the scripture, “All things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

Amen.

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Inspired

While everyone is not necessarily an artist–as the term denotes, I do believe that we all possess art of one form or another, and we are all impacted by art in one form or another.  The human soul–the seat of the mind, the will, and the emotions–by virtue of the complexity of its parts, is a work of art in itself, each individual in its intricacies.

In my profession, I use statistics and analysis for technical writing (e.g., proposal content, advertising content, policies, manuals, etc.).  But then I get to take that information and creatively fashion together letters, words, paragraphs, silent sounds and sentences to craft communication in its simplest yet most explicative form to relay idea and intent.

And THAT, dear reader, is my God-given art.  He has placed such a treasure in us all.

Evidence that we are of the Divine.

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