Faith Matters

# Faith Matters

In the book "Faith Matters" by Pastor Robert J. Maxie, he shares how God equipped him to become His servant—a senior pastor at Liberty Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In this book, Pastor Maxie delves deeply into the spiritual meaning of rejection and how it can promote spiritual growth. He experienced rejection that God allowed to occur in his life as a catalyst, propelling him forward to become God's servant. He calls this "Purposeful Rejection."

Pastor Maxie experienced rejection and hurt from his father as a child. His father showed no concern for his family, took no responsibility, and abandoned them all, which caused him to seek a deeper purpose in life. He writes, "Rejection is certainly painful, but I view it as a transformative force. It drives personal development and self-discovery, it pushes us beyond our comfort zones to re-examine our path and make necessary changes." God uses those rejections to bring us to where we need to be and to make us a witness to others.(1)

Like Pastor Maxie, as we walk in the Lord's path, we may encounter rejections—trials, difficulties, hardships that hinder our work and wear us down. But in God's plan, these adversities become the impetus that drives us to strive harder, to rely more on God's strength, and to move forward boldly. Through trials, we truly experience God's power and presence in our lives. The Apostle Paul told us, "...suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us" (Romans 5:3-5). Indeed, God loves us; we need not be discouraged, confused, or ashamed whenever we encounter hardship and difficulty. His wonderful providence will always deliver us, give us life experience, growth in faith, and enable us to reach the fullness of Christ when Jesus returns.

Our beloved Jesus is also the One who was rejected by His own people. He suffered great pain, as the prophet Isaiah revealed, "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem" (Isaiah 53:3). Jesus also tells us that if anyone rejects us, they reject Him, "Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me" (Luke 10:16). But what comfort this brings: when we have the Lord always with us, He fully knows the state of how this world treats His people; when we follow Jesus and hold firm to our faith in Him, Jesus says, "Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven" (Luke 6:22-23a).

Moreover, even when our own family abandons us, the Lord still receives us, as King David experienced and always trusted in the Lord, "Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me...Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:10, 14). Therefore, when we are rejected, when we are abandoned, let us hasten to the Lord, asking Him to strengthen us to overcome the rejection of this world, and let us always meditate on God's Word to know who He is.

God is faithful, eternal, merciful, and kind. He hears our cries and knows the needs of each of us. He does not leave us confused, but He comes to soothe our pain. If Jesus Christ endured pain and rejection because He loves us, then we can endure the pain that rejection brings in this temporary life! Scripture reminds us who God is and how He helps us deal with rejection:

First, God is infinite love, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them" (1 John 4:16).

Second, He is our help, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).

Third, He is faithful, "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments" (Deuteronomy 7:9), "Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures" (Psalm 119:90).

Let us be steadfast and trust in God! Thanks be to the faithful God who always loves and cares for us. "Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist" (Isaiah 11:5). We pray that the Lord will strengthen us and grant us wisdom, so that we may know how to respond and be ready to endure rejection from this world for the sake of our faith; we ask that He increase our faith, so that we are ready to accept these trials to strengthen our spiritual character even more, to become more like His image, and to live glorifying His name! Thank You, Lord! Amen!

Thanks be to God's love, forever merciful, Faithful and just, only in You, The One who sacrificed, endured rejection, Willing to bear all our thorns! Almighty, omnipresent, God alone, Who knows the needs of Your people, Provider, giving at the perfect time, Praise be to Your name, Your power ever great!

---

(1) Terry Robinson, FAITH MATTERS: God uses rejection as a catalyst in this new book, Jan 25, 2025, https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/books/spirituality-religion-books/article_3b4253a8-711a-11ef-987a-4f7c1aade9de.html

Topics