“Rejection? Baby, That was Just My Launch Button.”
Rejection. Whew. I get it. If you’ve lived long enough to buy your own toothpaste, you’ve probably met. It doesn’t tap you gently on the shoulder -no ma’am. It shows up like a fire-breathing dragon, inhaling your confidence and exhaling confusion. It can make even the strongest woman whisper to herself, “Why wasn’t I good enough?” What’s wrong with me?”
Let me tell you something as gently as I can: Nothing. Absolutely Nothing.
But I know that feeling - that sting so sharp you swear it took your breath for a second.
But before you let that question take root, let me show you a different picture - of a bow and arrow. When a bow is pulled back, it can’t be pulled only an inch. A weak pull won’t send the arrow anywhere. But the stronger the pullback - the tension, the resistance- the farther the arrow is destined to fly.
Now here’s the part we often miss:
The person who rejected you was simply the bow. Sometimes the person who rejected you didn’t know they were giving you the momentum to launch far beyond them. They thought you weren’t worthy. They didn’t see your potential. They misjudged your value. Look how much strength you’ve gathered from what was meant to break you
And since we’re being real, let me add something personal: When my former spouse said he didn’t want our marriage anymore -did it take me by surprise? Absolutely. But did it make me question my worth? Not for a moment. I never lost an ounce of sleep wondering if I had been a good wife or homemaker. I knew who I was. I had peace about that part - peace with a capital P. What I DID recognize was what he lost in leaving: the gift God placed in his path, the favor assigned to his life, the blessing he didn’t even know how to handle. And the last time I saw him?
Wellll…..
I gently - and I do mean gently- pushed him out the door toward my beautifully tended flowerbed.
Not in anger, but in a very “This meeting is adjourned” sort of way. My only concern was whether he’d crush my begonias as he stumbled out the door - because honestly, the flowers had shown more loyalty, consistency, and emotional maturity than he had in a long while. And there’s no use holding onto someone who’s already halfway out the door. Sometimes God removes people because we won’t. While he walked - I bent over to water my flowers. They appreciated the nourishment.
We’ve all done it- measured ourselves through someone else’s blurry lens. But you are not seen clearly through the eyes of anyone who doesn’t know your value. Stop gauging yourself by the person who walked away, the boss who passed you over, the friend you believed in who turned out to be less loyal than their Instagram posts, or the church that didn’t live up to its own social media personality. Here’s the thing: Rejection is not proof you’re unworthy. It’s often evidence you’re being redirected.
Instead, look at yourself through the eyes of the One who created you. The One who knew you before you were formed, the One who designed your purpose and potential before anybody else had an opinion. When my car needs care, I take it back to the dealership - not the nearest mechanic with a coupon. They didn’t build it. They don’t know it. They can guess - but the manufacturer knows every detail. Same with you, take yourself back to the One who knows you best.
Sometimes God allows a door to shut because what’s behind it would have destroyed you. Sometimes He lets someone walk away because their hands were too small to carry what He’s building in you. Sometimes He lets you feel the pullback because the launch requires distance.
Scripture to Stand On: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” Psalm 118:22
Sometimes the very thing dismissed by others becomes the foundation of something greater.
Mama Wisdom Reflection: “Listen baby, if someone rejects you, let ‘em. Some folks don’t deserve VIP seating in your life when they can’t even handle general admission.
