Rejection is tough. Really tough! If my kids had a dollar for every time they heard me threaten to quit writing…well, they might not be rich, but they’d have collected a lot of dollars from me over the years!

But rejection does have a good side, particularly the type of rejection that pertains to our careers or our artistic pursuits. The good? It teaches us to persevere.

God loves patience. I know we don’t usually like to hear that or even want to agree with Him. We are all impatient by nature, and to pray for patience seems almost foolish – for fear of that verse that says “the trial of your faith produces patience.” But the following verses go on to say to “let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete (mature) lacking nothing.” Pretty powerful words. And isn’t perseverance a good thing?

God will use trials in life to teach us patience because He values it so much. As writers or artists or musicians, our trial of choice is often rejection. But wouldn’t we rather suffer a rejection of our work than a trial that might involve something more difficult to bear? Not that God is out to get us – just that sometimes we learn better when trials involve things we care about. So while writing may be His leading, waiting on Him for His timing goes along with it.

Looking back, I can say this now – wouldn’t have said it 2 1/2 years ago when I was ready to quit – but now I can say I’m grateful for those writing rejections, for all the time I had to spend in God’s waiting room. I can’t say I’ve learned all of the patience that He requires of me, but I’ve learned a lot about trusting His timing and realizing just how much He values building my character more than He cares for my career’s success.

Rejections can teach us a lot…

Selah~