rejection

Rejections.
I have had dreams two nights in a row now about people rejecting me. And you know what? I think about it when I'm awake too.
Seriously, I do! and I feel that I am a confident, sure of myself gal. Even so, I want people to like me. I want to have lots of friends. I worry that I'm not happy enough, not friendly enough, not there enough for my friends and family. Maybe I don't smile enough, compliment others enough, ask enough questions. Maybe I should hug more, or send more cards. I just worry about it all! ugh!
What brought this up though? page 81 in A Love Worth Giving by Max Lucado. My friend Lindsay lent me this book almost a YEAR ago (I'm really sorry Linds!) and I read most of it last summer, and then put it down. It wasn't the right time for me. But I recently picked it up again, and I think it is the right time for me. And there are two sentences on page 81 that really caught my attention.
"You cannot keep people from rejecting you. But you can keep rejections from enraging you.".
It's true. I can't help what others think, or say, or feel. But I can help how I deal with these. I can choose to take these rejections and continue on my journey through life, or I can choose to let them change the path I am on. Change my journey. Turn my journey into something negative and sad. I can "let His acceptance compensate for their rejection". (page 81)
I'm still dealing with how I feel on the inside. But this was such a welcomed reminder that I have His love, His compassion, and His acceptance, and I need to stop worrying about what others in my life may think or feel about me. God is great!