1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to have you listening. 3 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 2: Today's topic is about the fear of rejection. We'll return 4 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 2: with the devotional after a brief message from one of 5 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 2: our sponsors. Dear Child of God, Come out of Hiding, 6 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 2: written and read by Emily Rose Massey. If we confess 7 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 2: our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us 8 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 2: of our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 9 00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 2: First John one nine. A few months ago go, my 10 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 2: eyes were open to the stark reality that I was 11 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 2: struggling with an area of my past, the pain of rejection. 12 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 2: This continues to be a battle for me. Yet I 13 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 2: realized that healing from the pain of rejection is a 14 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 2: partnership with the Lord and most definitely a process as 15 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 2: we learn how to surrender to God. Thankfully, I'm not 16 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,399 Speaker 2: alone in this fight and healing from my past and 17 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 2: old ways of thinking. One thing for sure is that 18 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 2: the Lord fights for me and the Holy Spirit guides 19 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 2: me into all truth, illuminating and highlighting lies that I 20 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 2: was believing that are rooted in rejection. Rejection had overwhelmed 21 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 2: so much of my life that I wasn't being fully 22 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 2: honest with people in my life. The lie I believed 23 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 2: was that I would be rejected if my sin or 24 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 2: wrongdoing was discovered. Therefore, I chose to either keep silent 25 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 2: or tell a lie to keep my secret hidden so 26 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 2: that I wouldn't be a disappointment That lifestyle was keeping 27 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,959 Speaker 2: me from being fully transparent and honest with my husband 28 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 2: and most importantly, with God. I believe this is why 29 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 2: First John one reminds us of the importance of confessing 30 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 2: our sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful 31 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 2: and just to forgive us of our sins and to 32 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 2: cleanse us from all unrighteousness. First John one nine, intersecting 33 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 2: faith in life. Hiding our sin causes us to hide 34 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 2: from God, very similarly to Adam and Eve. When the 35 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 2: first sin entered the world, they felt ashamed, and shame 36 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 2: made them feel rejected. Because of Jesus in the finished 37 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 2: work of the Cross, we are forever made righteous in 38 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 2: our position as we stand before the Father and are 39 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 2: forever forgiven. Yet when we sin, it causes our fellowship 40 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 2: with God to be hindered, and then we can very 41 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 2: easily distance ourselves from Him and stray from His ways. 42 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 2: God's love toward me never changes when I sin, yet 43 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 2: I may still experience consequences and correction for my disobedience. 44 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 2: Repentance as a believer is for our benefit to keep 45 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 2: fellowship with our heavenly Father, open and unhindered. Sin can 46 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 2: often cause our hearts to grow callous, and we may 47 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 2: not be as sensitive towards the conviction of the Holy Spirit. 48 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 2: The enemy wants you either in pride, thinking you were 49 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,119 Speaker 2: better off doing life your own way, or in isolation, 50 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 2: bound in a pit of depression, unable to receive love 51 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 2: or give out love, feeling like no one loves you 52 00:03:55,240 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 2: or cares about you, especially God. But God's love is unconditional, perfect, 53 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 2: and nothing can stop his pursuit towards you. He wants 54 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 2: us to be honest with him so that we can 55 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 2: see real transformation happen in our lives as He conforms 56 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 2: us into the image of His Son. Like I said above, positionally, 57 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 2: in Christ you stand before God forgiven and righteous. But experientially, 58 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 2: sanctification is a process because our flesh is weak. Although 59 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 2: as born again believers, we continue to sin against God 60 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 2: because we are constantly at war with our flesh in 61 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 2: this life. The good news is that we have a 62 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 2: great advocate, Jesus Christ, who is forever our righteousness. To 63 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 2: be sure, our position in Him has declared righteous before 64 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 2: God will never change. Yet we are still called to 65 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:55,039 Speaker 2: confess our sin, which purifies our conscience before the Lord. 66 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 2: Is there a particular sin that you have been struggling with, 67 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 2: Pause and take time to write it down and repent 68 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 2: before the Lord lay it all down at his feet. 69 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 2: First John one nine says Jesus is faithful and just 70 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 2: to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Dear 71 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 2: child of God, let us remember to come out of 72 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 2: hiding and rejoice in the truth that Jesus is forever 73 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 2: our righteousness despite our shortcomings. Further reading Ralmans chapter eight, 74 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 2: verses thirty one through thirty nine. 75 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 76 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: you heard today, we want to make sure you know 77 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: about our sister podcast your Daily Prayer. When you follow 78 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 1: your daily prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get 79 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:56,280 Speaker 1: a brand new prayer and devotional each day, so your 80 00:05:56,320 --> 00:06:00,040 Speaker 1: days begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to 81 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: grow in prayer or start your day with your heart 82 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 1: focused on the right Things, Search for your daily prayer 83 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,119 Speaker 1: in your favorite podcast app, and be sure to follow 84 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: the show so you get a new prayer delivered straight 85 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: to you each morning.