“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world” (John 15:19 NIV).
Have you ever felt that you were overlooked or ignored…like you were a nobody? Well, take heart girlfriend. You are not alone. Most of us have felt that way at one time or another. I’ve been the girl not invited to the party, the kid not chosen for the team, to applicant not chosen by the employer, the writer not chosen by the publisher, and the child not chosen by the parent.
In the Bible, we read the story of when the prophet Samuel went to anoint the next king of Israel. By God’s instruction, Samuel traveled to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse. He knew where to go and what family the king would come from. He knew the next king would be one of Jesse’s sons…he just didn’t know which son.
Samuel arrived in Bethlehem and asked Jesse to bring all of his sons out for his inspection. Jesse brought out each of his seven sons, one-by-one. As Samuel prayerfully approached each young man, God said, “No, that is not the one…No, that is not the one…No, that is not the one.” Seven times God refused Jesse’s sons. Finally, exasperated and confused, Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“Oh yeah, I do have one more son,” Jesse said. “I almost forgot all about him. Little David is out taking care of the sheep. I’ll send someone to get him.”
David was so insignificant to his own father, that when the prophet requested an audience with all of his boys, the dad didn’t even think to invite him. However, he was the very one God had selected to be the next ruler of His chosen people. How exciting! You may have felt overlooked, disregarded, and ignored, but God has chosen you! “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him,” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV). And that means you.
Ponder these verses…
- “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12 NIV
- “In him we were also chosen having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:11,12 NIV).
- “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:33 NIV).
Let’s Pray
Dear Father, thank you that I am chosen and dearly loved. While there have been many times in my life where I was not chosen, I rejoice in the truth that You chose me! Me! Help me to be an encourager to those who feel neglected or discarded by those in their world. Open my eyes to see the lonely, to hear the rejected, to love the forgotten. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
What do You Think?
When was a time in your life when you felt rejected?
The Bible says that we have a High Priest (Jesus) who has felt all the pain and suffering just as we have. How was Jesus rejected?
At the same time, how was Jesus chosen by God?
Consider writing down the verses in today’s devotion and post them somewhere you can see them often.
Now, leave a comment and let me hear you shout… “Praise God! I am chosen!”
Want More?
Today’s devotion was taken from my book Becoming Spiritually Beautiful: Seeing Yourself as God Sees You. Nothing is more beautiful than a confident woman who knows she is chosen and dearly loved. If you would like to learn more about how to see yourself as God sees you, this book is for you! It also comes with a Bible study guide for those who want to dig deeper.
Comments 33
Praise God I am chosen!! Thank you Sharon this is just what I needed to hear today!
Praised by the Lord, I am chosen ! Blessings to you and your family.
PARAISE GOD! I AM CHOSEN! What, do you have hidden cameras all over my house? That would mean you would have had them in every house I have lived in since I was a child. I remember praying one day asking God why I just didn’t seem to fit in, “Because you are Mine!” is what He spoke to my spirit. Even when I didn’t know Him, He knew me, before I was conceived in my mother’s womb! How exciting, how awesome is that! Thank you, for being a vessel of encouragement, for reminding us of ‘NO GREATER LOVE”!
praise the Lord for he has hand picked me..yes i have felt this way alot of my life but with Jesus all things are possible bless this Easter Season…
Yes! I’m chosen!!! Sharon, you’re such a blessing! Come back to Northern VA!
I will give thanks to the Lord for chosen me and to know I’m just like David the one that get’s over looked I know he love me and that is all that matter’s to me so I will give him all the praises.
Thank you so much for this posting, Sharon! I have been attending at a new church for almost 5 years, and I often feel left out and unaccepted. As many times as I have overcome the thoughts and feelings that I’ve experienced, there are still times that I feel like the odd woman out. Thank you for reminding me that God chose me! That in itself causes me to shout, “Praise God! I AM CHOSEN”
I love you Sharon! Again your words have touched my spirit! When was the last time I felt rejected? You asked. Today is my answer. I feel it all the time and have felt it all my life. I always thought as a little girl that God had something bigger and better prepared for me and that is why I am set apart by rejection from human beings. Well imagine my disappointment when I had a handicapped child and when I got a divorce. These are all mediocre life events that I grew up thinking I would never have to face. When I did face them I feel that it took me (and is still taking me) a long time to recover. With your devotions I am reading in tears because I know God is speaking to me by way of the devotions that you send daily. Again, God bless you and please, please, please continue to speak to the world with your words! You are beautiful!
PRAISE GOD! I AM CHOSEN!!!!! HOOT HOOT
Sharon I had felt rejection from the time I was 4until my adult years. I was taken from my parents and sent to foster homes numerous times before being made ward of the court. My 2 brothers however stayed with my parents. My whole life I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere, I didn’t know my place. The family that adopted me tried hard to fill that void but I always thought I did something wrong to make my parents not want me, just my brothers. After 18 years we did reunite and things were okay but that void still was there. I never understood even though I was told why, I was given up. I led my life trying to fit in, was almost always good. but I was also one of the least popular and usually ended up befriending the “Riff Raff”. I wasn’t pretty and was only known because of my brother. If I tried to speak my true feelings I was told I was being silly or outrageous. It wasn’t until I gave my heart to The Lord that I was able to let go of the pain from all this. I still don’t understand much of what happened but I trust that it was God’s plan all along cause He knew better. I thank Him for the life He did bring me to because my birth family didn’t have it easy after I left. I do consider it a blessing.
I spent half my life feeling rejected or that I could be rejected. Basically a fear of rejection encompassed me. God is working in me to not only show me I’m not a reject and that I am a chosen one but also to help others who are in similar situations.
Praise God that I am chosen. I do belong right in the place where He wants me. I always have belonged somewhere I just didn’t see it.
There are three poems that I wrote that center around these issues on my blog. My Perfect Protector, Mother Dear and Someone Must Know. They were posted around Sept 3, 2012 if you want to skip to the index.
Praise God!!! I am chosen.
Praise Be To God. Praise Be To God. I Am Ignore By Man But I Am Chosen. Praise Be To God Who Loves Me Dearly and Predestined. I Am Glad He Chose Me.
Philippians 2:5-11 (NIV)
“5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to
be grasped,
7 but made Himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a Man,
He humbled Himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place
and gave Him the Name that is above every name,
10 that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the FATHER.”
Amen, HALLELUJAH PRAISE THE LORD I am Chosen!!
THANK YOU JESUS!
Praise GOD!! I am chosen!!!
Praise God!!! I am CHOSEN!!!!!!!
Praise God I am chosen! Forever his.
Praise God! I am chosen!
Yes I have felt overlooked but not by GOD “PRAISE GOD”!! I AM CHOSEN!!!
Thank You for this reminder, such a blessing. The Spirit recalls in me the meaning of Mephibosheth’s life in 2 Sam 9…I’m listening, Lord…
Praise GOD!!!! I AM CHOSEN!!!! Thank you so much!! God is great!!
Praise God! I Am Chosen! ” Because He Lives I Can Face Tomorrow”
I have experience rejection and felt insignificant a lot of times. I am the woman who was never introduced to guests in gatherings, a woman who’s voice was never heard when she speaks in meetings, a woman who was prejudiced because of skin color and height,a woman often ignored in stores and restaurants and a woman who have been mistaken many times to be a nanny because my child look too beautiful to be my son.
It broke my heart many times and brought tears to my eyes but hey! I am chosen by God! He calls me by my name and I am loved by Him! He knows me inside and out. I am His child! How I Praise You My Creator! May God bless all the ladies here and Sharon of course!:)
Thank you for posting this today. I often feel rejected, lonely and sad. I have been single for many years since my heartbreaking and devistating divorce. I have a very difficult time trusting men and people in general. My ex husband cheated on me for years with multiple women and I am left damaged and heartbroken. To this day, I haven’t been able to have a successful relationship because I’ve been told that I’m too uptight. It’s just my defense mechanism for guarding my heart. I am grateful that God has chosen me to be His daughter. What an honor and a privilege! I never feel rejected by Him.
PRAISE THE LORD!!!! I AM CHOSEN!!!. I always wonder why I was rejected by my parents, teachers and bosses, I felt unloved, but by God’s Grace I learned to give love instead of received. Now I understand!. Thank you!! Sharon. God Bless You!!!!
THANK YOU FOR THE ENCOURAGMENT, I FEEL SO EMPTY N LONELY. tHE ONLY PERSON I EVER LOVED AND DEEPENDED ON HAS ABANDONED ME. CAN THE LORD INTERVENE.
LOVENESS
Praise God , I am chosen and I am blessed!
PRAISE THE LORD- FOR I AM CHOSEN!!!!!
Oh how has this subject touched my heart I have been abused physically mentally emotionally sexually since being a child, before I came to know when no one wanted me all my life no one has wanted me. God has wanted me and God chose me. “Praise God, I am chosen!”
P.S. All I have been doing for the last few days weeks is asking God to take me to take me from this world because of the pain that I bear on this earth and I know in my heart God loves me so much that’s the way I get through each day but I beg God every single day to please take me from this life to my heavenly home, I just wanted to share that
I wrote a song about this once:
“In every situation, God knows your pain –
“He will never dismiss, or overlook you.”
PRAISE GOD…I AM CHOSEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been through a horrible trial these past 2 years but I have learned the great revelation that it doesn’t matter what man, woman, boy or girl says about me. It Only Matters what God says about me and Who I Am!!!! <3
Thanks for Sharing a Great Word!!!!!!!
Is this what the truth consist of? God’s word. The gospel. Thanks
Praise God! I am chosen! I have run across your blog while at a very low point in my life. I have begun to wonder if God even knows I am here? Maybe with so many people to keep up with I sort of slipped through the cracks & got lost. I feel he hasn’t noticed yet that I am missing. I am sure he will return for me but it’s taking longer than I expected. Please pray for me during this trying time. Thank you & may God continue to bless your ministry. I have also purchased several of your books, I can’t wait to get them!