Rejection

One of the greatest dangers in the spiritual life is self-rejection. When we say, “If people really knew me, they wouldn’t love me,” we choose the road toward darkness. Often we are made to believe that self-deprecation is a virtue, called humility. But humility is in reality the opposite of self-deprecation. It is the grateful recognition that we are precious in God’s eyes and that all we are is pure gift. To grow beyond self-rejection we must have the courage to listen to the voice calling us God’s beloved sons and daughters, and the determination always to live our lives according to this truth.” —Henri J. M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey

Nouwen begins this thought speaking of the great danger self-rejection is in the spiritual life. I can speak from years of experience in the mental health and addiction fields in saying self-rejection is a great danger in all of life. Self-rejection begins with an identity crisis—when we don’t know who we are, or better stated, whose we are. Recognizing yourself as the precious child of God is of foundational importance. Humility, then, is embracing the fact that we are fallen and flawed but that our God’s love is restorative and reconciling. Humility brings us to our knees for forgiveness and renewal. Humility allows us to choose righteousness and to obey the Spirit, not the flesh. Nouwen rightly notes that this kind of living takes courage; courage to own our shortcomings, courage to rest in His love, and courage to believe in His promises. Let us pray for courage today, to live as children of the Living God, who loves us dearly … fallen and flawed … just as we are. —DH