Rejection is God’s Protection
Hi my beautiful friends,
Have you ever felt like you just weren’t enough?
Like no matter what you did, you were always the one passed over, left out, or laughed at?
I know that feeling all too well.
And I want to share a part of my story with you, not for sympathy, but because I believe healing begins when we stop hiding.
I remember my 16 year old self, I couldn’t wait to grow up to find my husband, have kids, and live a happy life.
Deep down, I just wanted to be enough for someone.
That longing sat so heavy on my heart that I grew up believing rejection was all I was ever going to receive.
I watched close friends and family fall in love,
And I wanted that kind of love, the kind people write about, sing about, dream about.
But I was obese my entire life.
No one ever gave me the time of day.
And when they did, the lengths I went to just to feel a little less unlovable…
Skipping meals, holding in my stomach, delaying getting dressed until the last possible second so my clothes wouldn’t stretch and make me look bigger.
I’m chuckling now because even today, I still catch myself doing this sometimes.
I remember going on a blind date once.
My cousin did my hair and makeup. I was so nervous, I couldn’t even eat.
I changed into my clothes just ten minutes before leaving, hoping I could somehow appear smaller, thinner, more acceptable.
All I wanted was to feel seen, to feel chosen, just once.
But when I got there, my date wasn’t alone.
He had a group of friends with him.
And when they saw me, they laughed.
Out loud.
It was brutal.
One of the most humiliating moments of my life.
And truthfully, there are a lot of moments like that.
Those memories used to control my identity.
They told me I would never be good enough for someone.
Never be loved fully, for all of me.
But today I remind myself:
Rejection is God’s protection.
Repeat it: Rejection is God’s protection.
Even when we question why things happen the way they do, He has a plan.
When we don’t get the job we prayed for, the relationship we longed for, or the invitation we hoped would come…
God sees it all.
He knows our hearts.
And He knows theirs too.
He knows what would have broken us.
He knows what He’s really saving us from.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
To the person out there who feels left out, overlooked, or unwanted,
You’re not forgotten.
You’re not unlovable.
You’re not too much or not enough.
You’re being protected.
You’re being prepared.
I want to hug my 16-year-old self and tell her all the good that’s coming.
The joy.
The healing.
The love.
The deep, overwhelming presence of God.
Because He will not reject me.
And He won’t reject you either.
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Psalm 34:18 (NIV).
If I’m being honest, I have a little anxiety knowing I’m going to share this part of my life.
It was something I thought I had buried.
And writing this brought me back to that moment of rejection and it hurt.
It made me sad because I still catch myself bringing some of those old habits into my present life.
But it also brought awareness to what I truly need to work on.
This isn’t just a story I’m telling. It’s a part of me I’m healing from.
And maybe, by sharing it, someone else can begin to heal too.
But maybe someone needed to know they aren’t the only one who’s ever felt unseen, unwanted, or unworthy.
If that's you, I hope this reminds you that even in your most hidden pain, God sees you.
And His love will never reject you.
with love
Your Friend, Chelsey