not passive but assertive…

in overcoming the fear of rejection i realize that the LORD is my light and salvation, not anybody else.  i don't look for anybody else to brighten up my day.  i don't look for anybody else to save my life.  the LORD is my life.  HE's my salvation.  so i'm not going to be afraid. 

what does HE save me from?  psalm 119.39-42 (tev), save me from the insults i fear.  i want to obey your commands.  show me how much YOU love me, LORD.  then i can answer those who insult me.  david is being rejected here.  he said, LORD, i need to be saved, not just into heaven but i need to be saved from the insults i fear.  i need to be saved from what other people think about me. i'm worried about what other people think and i'm afraid of being rejected.  he says, i want to obey your commands but if i obey your commands other people may think i'm stupid.  if i live the life GOD wants me to live, they may think i'm a JESUS freak or fanatic.  so, GOD, show me how much YOU love me.  there is no fear in love.  perfect love casts out all fear.  GOD loves me.  if GOD loves me, i can handle any other rejection. 

here's the key to assertiveness.  everybody wants to be more assertive today so they're not passive.  the key to assertiveness is not to psych yourself up, not to be aggressive and live in a selfish way, but to understand how deeply GOD loves you.  when you understand, when that really sinks in, how deeply GOD loves you – GOD loves me, i like me, if you don't like me that's your problem!  HE's saying you've got to learn that GOD loves us.

2 timothy 2.15 (ph), for yourself, concentrate on winning GOD's approval.  that simplifies life.  you can't please everybody. you get one group pleased and the other group gets mad at you. you get another group pleased and this group over here gets mad at you.  even GOD can't please everybody.  one person wants it to rain, and other person wants the sun to shine.  who's GOD going to please?  so you'd be a fool to try to do it.  the secret of simplifying life is saying, “i’m going to do what pleases GOD.  if i do that it sure simplifies life.  and if i please GOD, it's always the right thing to do. it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks.” 

overcoming the fear of rejection – put GOD in first place.

just a thought from the front porch…