“No.”
The response was unexpected. My stomach simultaneously shot into my throat and into my shoes. I was left in a state of confusion and heartbreak. I wanted the answer to be, “Yes” more than anything in the world… and yet I the answer I received was clear.
“No.”
It’s a word we all fear. “No,” is the soul of rejection… and rejection can feel so personal. Whether it’s a “no” from a stranger, someone I love, or even God, the moments in my life where I’ve felt most ashamed, most alone, and most sad are when I’ve experienced a rejection.
“No.”
Those two letters can be devastating, heart-breaking, and life-changing.
Rejection Is a Gospel Principle
As I’ve suffered through rejection in my life, I’ve often asked the questions, “Why me? Why is this happening?” Rejection often walks hand-in-hand with a powerful feeling of loneliness. I began to wonder if I was as alone as I felt. Then I opened my scriptures. I read a story of Lehi, who had a vision that his city was going to be destroyed. He was laughed at, ridiculed, and rejected even by members of his own family. After fleeing the city, Lehi asked his sons to return back to their hometown to retrieve some scriptures from one of the most powerful men in town. He told them it was God’s will. They were rejected when they asked for the scriptures. They returned and offered to buy them. Again, they were rejected and their lives were threatened. Only on their third attempt were they successful.
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