Lesson 1.2 – The Decision to Handle Rejection

7 DECISIONS PEOPLE MUST HANDLE IN LIFE

(Making Positive Blessings Out Of Negative Experiences)

Bible Fact: God allows various things in life to happen to make us better.

The Big Idea: Endurance is the key to achieving challenging goals in life.

Rejection is in the Eye of the Beholder: A young salesman became discouraged because he had been rejected by so many customers he approached. He asked a more experienced salesman for some advice.

“Why is it that every time I make a call on someone I get rejected?” asked the young salesman.

“I just don’t understand that,” answered the older salesman. “I’ve been hit on the head, called dirty names, and thrown out the door, but I’ve never been rejected.”

Rejection isn’t what happens to us but how we interpret what happens to us.—(Kent Crockett, I Once Was Blind But Now I Squint, Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004, 44)

Special moments in life call for God to be nearer than at other times. Rejection is one of those special moments when we should want God to be near. Rejection is received by different people in different ways. Some handle this decision well while others do not handle rejection so well. But God know the end of every trial that we go through. That is why we call Him God!

I. What is it? REJECTION: to refuse, resist, deny, or to dismiss an idea, an action or a person. (Latin: through back)

II. Every Christian will be challenged with some type of barrenness. Barrenness at school, barrenness in finances, barrenness at the job, barrenness in life, etc. Barren moments happen to all people at some time or the other.

III. Hannah’s Battle With Her Barren Moments

A. Intro: Elkanah was a noble man of royal descent. He was a man that blessed his household with the best of God’s blessings. He had two wives: Peninnah and Hannah. He blessed Peninnah with sons and daughters. Hannah remained barren. Each year Elkanah attended worship at an annual feast along with Peninnah, all her sons and daughters and Hannah; Hannah’s barrenness became a plaguing perpetual problem to the whole house. Peninnah the other wife criticized and ridiculed Hannah for her barrenness. Hannah became so engrossed with her barrenness that she refused food and drink at the table of Elkanah. Hannah was bitter and burdened with rejection. Her rejection was not from Elkanah, her husband. Hannah’s rejection was from God.

IV. Hannah’s battle with rejection:

A. She pouted and doubted because of delayed desire. vv. 5b, 6b

B. She frustrated her future focus by her own flesh. v. 6a

1. She allowed fretting and fear to make her faith unfruitful and depression set in.

2. Hannah’s fear only resulted in emotional depression which is the fruit of anxiety and produces weeping and bitterness. vv.7,8

C. Hannah’s public worship and witness was questioned; vv.12-15

D. She experienced a power failure in her purpose for living. v. 16b

1. Hannah’s trust lost sight on God’s timing for her productiveness and pursuit of happiness. Proverbs 3:5,6; Proverbs 16:9

2. Hannah’s productiveness was tied up with God’s purpose for her life. Romans 8:28; I Peter 2:9

V. Hannah Bounced Back

A. She arose….(she lifted herself by her own decision) v.9

B. She prayed…(she pledged a vow unto the Lord) vv.10,11

1. (You must get a pray through to receive a break through.)

C. She received the word and she worshiped in the spirit with praises to God. vv.17,18

D. She submitted to her husband in a righteous and reverent attitude. vv.19,20

1. The husband translates into authority…Hannah submitted to an ordained authority.