If you have been reading my last few devotionals, you have found how people handle life differently due to past rejections. The unresolved root of rejection causes them to incur more pain and more rejection in life. However, not every bad choice is due to past root of rejection.
Self-Made Rejection
Sometimes the rejection experienced is self-made, and it is not due to past rejections. Ultimately, every person has a choice to do either what is right or rebel against the established system. Adam & Eve in their perfect state were never rejected. Their disobedience was not due to the root of rejection, but they exercised their choice by disobeying God. Once they sinned, God did reject them by placing a curse on them and driving them out of the Garden. Their disobedience led them to rejection.
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Genesis 4: 3-7
Cain was another example of self-made rejection. The Lord did not approve of Cain’s sacrifice but told him that he would be accepted when he does right. God did not reject Cain, but He corrected him. In addition, God gave him a warning. He told him that if Cain does not do what is right, sin is right around the corner to rule over him.
Sometimes, we don’t like the rules or the parameters established, so we do it our way. We think by doing it our own way, we are making a statement that the person setting the rules is unreasonable and it’s unnecessary to follow them. However, this opens to sin ruling over us and keeping us in its grip.
The Lord told Cain that when he chose to disobey God’s expectation, sin was at the door trying to take control of his life. Cain thought he could do it his own way, but when God wasn’t pleased, it made him angry.
Cain’s behavior wasn’t due to injustice, and neither God’s correction was unjust. Cain had to be willing to see the consequences of his actions and desire to change them. Cain still had the opportunity to correct his mistake. Unfortunately, he chose not to deal with the condition of his own heart and took out his anger on his brother by killing Abel.
And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” Genesis 3: 10-12
I doubt the day Cain chose to offer a sacrifice unacceptable to God, he thought this would lead him someday to murdering his brother, but his actions began a process that took him down the path of anger, rejection, and bondage to sin. Cain incurred God’s rejection because of his own choices and became a vagabond in his life.
Are there certain people or systems that you have been ignoring or fighting against? Rejection does not have to be the story of your life. The situation is not about them. It is about you and the condition of your heart before God. Stop arguing with God and listen to His instructions. Take responsibility for your part and make it your goal to do what is right. Doing right frees you from the enemy having a legal right to rule over your soul and ultimately over your actions.
