There’s life on the other side of “no.”

Rejection is a big deal. It is a major fear that most people have. We do not like being told “no.” I’ve learned that one of the reasons why it’s hard to tell people “no” is because we may have a hard time receiving a “no.”

But could it be that the reason why we are so afraid of a two-letter word is because we have conditioned our minds to believe that life is over when the rejection comes? This is simply not true. There is life on the other side of “no.”

You see, anyone God used in the Bible, even if they were not specifically told “no,” they were treated like a “no.” Look at David. When the Prophet Samuel was given an instruction from God to go and anointed the next king, David’s Father, Jesse, pulled out all his sons to meet the Prophet except for David. Can you imagine what David must have felt like? He was rejected by his Father. All his brothers were there to meet the prophet to potentially be the next king, but he was left forgotten in the pasture with the sheep. But the one who was rejected was the one who was anointed to become king!

Matthew 21:42 (GNT) says, “Jesus said to them, “Haven't you ever read what the Scriptures say? ‘The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.  This was done by the Lord; what a wonderful sight it is!’” The stone here is referred to as Jesus. He knows what it feels like to be rejected. He came unto His own and they received Him not (John 1:11). He was not honored in His own country (Matthew 13:57).
​
“No” did not stop Jesus from going to the cross and fulfilling His assignment. “No” did not stop Him from being who He was called to be. Therefore, if “no” could not stop Jesus, it should not be able to stop us. The assignment He has given us originated in the Spirit. Therefore, it outlasts betrayal, abandonment, and pain. There is indeed life on the other side of “no.”