Have you ever felt the sting of rejection? That’s a silly question. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t.
When I first started writing, I sent off sample chapters to various publishers. Shortly after, rejection letters came creeping into my mailbox.
“Thanks, but no thanks. “Nobody knows you.” “Your manuscript does not meet our needs at this time.” “Blah, blah, blah.” You get the picture.
At that point, I had two choices: quit or keep pressing on. I’ll admit, quitting seemed mighty good about then. But after I moped around for a while, I decided to keep pressing on.
Have you ever gone through a period of discouragement? Perhaps you’re in one right now. Believe me, I’ve hidden in the cave with Elijah (1 Kings 19), under the gourd plant with Jonah (Jonah 4), and in the desert with Moses (Exodus 3-4). If you don’t know those stories, look them up. You will probably be able to relate.
Discouragement comes when there is a gap between what you expect and what you experience—when there is a gap between what you hoped would happen and what actually does happen.
Discouragement comes when there is a gap between what you expect and what you experience—when there is a gap between what you hoped would happen and what actually does happen.
Discouragement can destroy your passion and undermine your purpose. It can take root because of what others say or didn’t say—a mom who said too much or a dad who said too little. Unmet expectations can become the breeding ground for discouragement to multiply and take root.
We certainly see that in Moses’s life. When Moses was forty years old, he expected to be the deliverer of his people. But what he experienced was rejection and regret. Forty years later, when God called him to lead the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt, Moses argued:
Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exod. 4:10).
This statement that came out of Moses’s stuttering lips was simply not true. As Stephen reminded us: “Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action” (Acts 7:22). Moses had defined himself by his failure and was held hostage by a constant state of discouragement. Oh friend, we need to be so careful to not do the same.
Discouragement causes many a believer to pull up a lawn chair in cul-de-sac Christianity and refuse to venture out to the adventurous faith. They mumble the words “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me” over their hopes and dreams. They fill the gap between what they hope for and what they experience with the false belief that dreams aren’t worth the effort.
What we tend to see as a permanent condition, God sees as a temporary situation. What you see as one of your greatest setbacks might be one of God’s incredible setups for marvelous miracles to occur. If you are meeting resistance in your hopes and dreams, then you’re most likely on the right track. The devil wouldn’t mess with you if you weren’t a menace to his plans and a valuable asset to God.
What the devil really wants to do is steal your confidence, and the best time to rob you blind is during a season of disappointment. Guard your heart. Don’t be caught unaware and allow him to hold you back, trip you up or slow you down. The circumstances are, well, just circumstantial—collateral damage in the real battle to take away your confidence in Christ.
So don’t let the devil win. You are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus!
Let go of debilitating discouragement and take hold of your next assignment!
I’m glad I didn’t quit writing when those first rejection letters came. If I had, I would have never known the excitement of seeing one of my books on a bookstore shelf. I wonder what discouragement God wants you to push through to see your dream come to fruition.
Dear God, I’ll admit that sometimes I get so discouraged I feel like I can’t go on. When things don’t go the way I thought they would, I just want to quit. Help me to remember that my greatest setbacks might be one of Your incredible setups for marvelous miracles to occur. Give me the God-confidence that I need to keep moving forward in Your will. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read 1 Kings 19:1-18 What did God say to Elijah when he was hiding because of discouragement? (Verses 9 and 13)
Did you notice that God allowed Elijah to rest for a bit? But then it was time to get up and get going.
Is there some area in your life where you’ve been hunkered down in discouragement, but now God is saying, “Get up and get moving!” If so, leave a comment and say, “I’m going to get up and get moving!”.
If you are in a period of discouragement, my book, Take Hold of the Faith You Long For: Let Go, Move Forward, Live Bold will help you move forward and take the next step. Learn how to dream again. Let go of anything that holds you hostage to a “less than” life and take hold of all that God has for you and already placed in you. The book also comes with a Bible Study Guide for groups or personal study.
© 2022 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.
Comments 44
I am going to get up and getting going!
I’m going to get up and get going with God helping me. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Thank you God for having Sharon write this, for having me read it this day! New as a Pastors wife and in womens ministry for 12 years.
Rejection , betrayal and lies …have cast me into discouragement, depression, and wanting to just give up!
Never Ever Give Up!!!!!! ~_~* From, Susan
✝️❤️🙏I’m going to get up and get moving!😊
✝️❤️🙏God promised His children that we can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us!❤️
This message spoke to me. I am in that season and your words are what I needed. Thanks 🙏
I am going to get up, I will be discouraged no longer. God’s freedom and victory is coming!
Sharon, Around the time Covid began we were going to an active Southern Baptist Church then the pastor split the church. This is not my first rodeo with this happening. I am 68 & grew up in Southern Baptist Churches all my life. My Dad was always a Deacon or Chairman of them. My mom was Church Secretary & very active in WMU now WOM.. I was always active in the youth group & as I became an adult I was a Preschool Teacher, Elementary Teacher, Youth Teacher & Leader. I was a GA Leader, Acteens leader, & Children’s church leader, & a Preschool Director. After the split we stayed for about a year but they had just hired a young youth leader that thought he was God. I could just not stay any longer. We live in a very small town & were driving 40 minutes to this church. My husband & I have operated a Food Pantry in our town for the last 22 years. It’s hard to join a local church as they try to take ownership of you. . We tried a church in another town about 15 minutes from us. We liked the Pastor & Associate Pastor & knew some of the people there. Before long the Associate Pastor resigned. Then we were gone for several weeks due to a family members illness & came back & the Pastor was gone with no explanation. I thought oh no, I can’t do this again. After about 7 months they brought in a very young Pastor from the mission field. He is in his 30’s & I just do not agree with his way of thinking. Plus it’s a bigger church & I didn’t feel very welcome. So TV has become our church. I so feel the need to be needed & working in God’s kingdom. I am asking for prayer that God will lead us to the right church where we can work for Him.
Praying right now for you friend! Have hope; God sees you and has never left you for a moment. You are precious and valuable to Him, whether you are working in the church or not (of course it is important to do so, but it does not define you!). Keep you head up and keep chasing after Him. He will never let you down. Who knows? Maybe this will be a testimony to help someone else some day. Much love, friend! ❤️ And never forget, you are always loved, known, seen, heard, valued, and purposeful to God (Isaiah 43:1).
Thank you Sister 😊. I have reread Sharon’s message many times. I have had a few years of bumps. The devil has been busy. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement 🙏. God bless you. Kayla
I’m going to get up and get moving! We recently had a fire that destroyed everything we had, including trying to take our relationship, instead of bringing us closer because of everything that has happened, it’s drawing us further apart, please keep us in your prayers that God will give us the strength to get through this
I’m going to get up and get moving.
My husband recently retired. The plan has always been we would move full time up to our home in Northern Michigan. So I moved, became unemployed and an empty nester all at once. This email is so what I needed right now!!
Well this was the perfect thing i needed to hear. After 48 years of marriage and years of begging,threating, and incouragement to quit smoking,here i am taking care of this man of 48 years in stage 4 copd and in the final days of his life. I told him i would never do this, explaining to i wanted to grow old together, take trips together spend time with our kids and grandchildren, but it didnt matter, his cigarrettes was more important and he continued. So here i am taking care of him and also my mother who is not a nice person and living with us also. (Thank goodness i work part time.) Discouragement, thats how i feel right now. But i get up everyday thank God for being in my life,go cry and keep going,because without him i probably would have given up. Thank you Jesus for your love and strength.
ITS TIME FOR ME TO GET UP! IN GODS STRENGTH AND FIGHT BY PRAYER AND FOCUSING ON GOD’S WORD IN MY HEART. I NEED TO CONTROL WHAT I CAN AND LET GOD DO THE REST !! WE LOVE YOU JESUS! AMEN
I am going to get up and get moving in the name of Jesus!!
Reading this have gave me the courage to keep looking for a job I want…after so many rejections.
Thankyou…
God Bless
Am going to get up and get moving.
Thanks for such the encouragement. God bless.
I need to get moving litterally. My mental health and physical health depend on it.
I love working out , it’s the getting to the gym that is hard.
I am going to get up and get moving.
“I’m going to get up and get moving!”. In the name of Jesus Christ my Saviour and Friend, my helper.
I’m going to get up and get moving! Pray that God will give me the strength, grace and wisdom I need.
I’m in a waiting period too. And like you, writing for possible publication. I have something published. That’s exciting. But I fear it might not happen again. I just want to keep busy for the Lord and use my gifts for his glory.
I am going to get up and get moving!!
Thank you, Sharon for this message to day! I have been held captive in season of discouragement – two separate hamstring reattachment surgeries, fractured foot, tennis elbow…;) i know God has a perfect plan for all of it…
but, lately I have lost my focus from Jesus to the things of this world and find myself back in the trenches. Living in the land of comparison, disappointment & discouragment!
But, not anymore!! Get behind me Satan – in Jesus Name!
I needed to hear that today. Thank you for not giving up. I’m going to get up and get moving!!!
I am going to get up and get moving.
I’m definitely in a season of “discouragement”.My life was temporarily disrupted back in July when I lost my job. Since then I have found work but the pay is less than before and with the current trend of rising inflation it is near impossible to keep up with rent,food,and utilities. My adult daughter is also feeling the crunch because she had to move in with me and my adult son. She has two teenage boys,one of whom is a senior graduating next year. We currently live in a two bedroom apartment so the conditions are not always satisfactory and I try to assure them that these situations in life happen but they don’t have to define who we are. I try to keep them encouraged because it’s tough enough to deal with school and what they encounter daily. As adults and parents me and their mom are trying to not let our current circumstances affect them. But I know sometimes it does. They overhear the conversations we have about upcoming expenses that we have no waking of paying;or the look on our faces when they ask to go to places and we can’t afford the extra expenses. It’s heartbreaking and it just adds to the disappointment and discouragement I already feel.What helps me mentally and spiritually is reading your loving and kind words(along with prayer) and just having that feeling that I am not alone. I know that there are others that are possibly feeling the same disappointment and discouragement. Maybe different circumstances but still experiencing the sleepless nights and “what am I going to do” thoughts.But you always seem to say the right words in your writings that make me feel like ok..I can overcome this. I can’t let the fear of the unknown keep me down and feeling sorry for myself. I got to keep my head up and keep moving forward. It’s a long road with twists and turns, potholes and bumps. So please keep me in prayer.
Thank you Sharon for this super timely reminder. I just prayed to GOD, like Elijah for the most miraculous thing (Ephesians 3:20; Habakkuk 1:5) He can bestow upon me not because of any selfish ambition but to greatly show the whole wide world that GOD, our Heavenly Father is truly and indeed listening to our cries and groaning.
I am going to get up n get going
I am going to get up and get moving. I got the book awhile ago and it’s been sitting on the table waiting to be read.
I’m going to get up and get moving!!
Living this. I am getting up and getting going. Major setbacks this last year that nearly killed me emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically. I never blamed God. Just didn’t understand. I keep getting word that this is not a setback but a set up and am clinging to that and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He keeps telling me I don’t need to know the details just to understand He is working when I can’t see it. That is tough for a control freak like me. He has changed me so much this year. While days I feel like a broke toy, I’m not. I know that in my mind just need my heart to catch up.
Thank you God for not letting Sharon quit, and thank you Sharon for not quitting! Needed to read this today, it’s definitely given me perspective 💛
I am going to get and get moving.
“I am going to get up and get moving”
Thank you Sharon for this inspiring message. May God continue to bless you and your family.
Ms. Sharon, thank you for these words of encouragement. I’m gonna get up and get moving in Jesus’s name.
I’m 76yrs old . Two years ago I battled with cancer, in June of this year suffered a severe stroke, in august suffered another one. God saw me through all this. My biggest desire is to learn to play piano and with Gods help I’m getting up teach myself to play piano for the honor and glory of God!
Sharon thank you for your faithfulness to this ministry and your encouraging devotional today! These words met me were I’m at in my journey in life and have been asking God how do I get pass rejection, disappointment and a broken heart ….I’m a Christian and know the word of God but today’s devotional broke it down so clear and understandable.. it grabbed my attention… and I grabbed my Bible to read the outlined scriptures that supports your devotional!!
I love the illustrations of Moses !!
May the Lord continue to bless you, your family and your ministry,
IM GOING TO GET UP AND GET GOING!! 😊
Thank you Sharon for the encouragement to go forward…this could not be more timely.
Thank you for this timely email in my life. I believe it was a “Godwink” for me. I have been in a season of discouragement and dispair for over a year now due to an unhealthy relationship I was in for over 10 years with a Narcissist. God knew I needed to be out of it, however, I only had the strength to move so far, so He moved him for me last November 1. It was devastating to me as I was also fighting an auto immune disease and long haul COVID , which had shut down my GI tract, had surgery for it and had to go on Medical leave as I am self employed. I have always been one whom could “pull myself up by my boot straps” and move forward BUT not this time. Thank you for your words today which struck my heart. I bought your book last year, however, put it away in a nightstand drawer as I wasn’t “motivated” to ready it (or frankly do anything else either). You have ignited my spirit to now, with the help of your words, our great Counselor and Healer, to read it and study His word to return to the uniquely authentic self that He created me to be. BTW, I am also an Identical twin. God bless you and your ministry!
I’ve gotten up and Start moving and this devotion is confirmation. I Thank God for you and your Obedience to him.
I am going to get up and get moving!
In Jesus” name!
Hallelujah!!!
To God be ALL the Honor and Glory forever!!Forever!!!
(Thank you-Sharon)
Be so blessed
Thank you, Sharon. I’m going to get up and get moving!!
I’m going to get up and keep praying. Although our son and his wife are anxious and depressed having a newborn son diagnosed with viral meningitis at 8 days old through no fault of their own, he made it through and is now 8 weeks old, but faces lots of testing over the next two years. God is good and will heal him as he has great plans for those he saves.
I’m going through a financial crisis and discouraged because I don’t seem to know how to budget…my parents had to step in and tell me to stop allotting money to certain vendors that are not worth it…I can live without and stop loaning at the bank and loan centers…with their advice I’m able to be lifted out of my misery…now I’m going somewhere with my financial setback…I was so discouraged and started envying my peers for seeming to have it all…but now with the help of my parents and prayers I’m slowly out of my rut…
Thank you Sharon! I love this. .i spoke to my heart 😥…i’m getting up and get moving