Rejection is NO Match For God

Rejection is NO Match For God                   

Our son, Shannon, was twelve years old when he decided he wanted to attend the U.S. Naval Academy after high school graduation. We told him that if that were to happen, he’d need to maintain outstanding grades all through school.   

Bill the Goat - USNA Mascot

Time sped by and as graduation approached, Shannon had exceeded the criteria for acceptance in most any college or university—even earning the title of valedictorian of his graduating class. Also he was a well-rounded candidate with accolades in sports, choir, and leadership—among which student body president.

It appeared he was well on his way to fulfilling his dream of receiving an appointment to the USNA. 

Our son had worked hard, spending much time during his junior year of high school, filling out numerous forms, writing essays, and sending his credentials to our congressman, senator and the vice president of the United States.

Time moved on and the long anticipated letter from The Academy arrived in the mail. I carried the letter up to Shannon’s room and handed it over as he sat on his bed. 

I held my breath as he opened it, anticipating what we hoped would be would be sensational news. I watched while he read silently. He lowered the letter, stared straight ahead and said, “I’ve been rejected.”

I was stunned. Of course we all knew this was a possibility. But knowing he’d worked so hard and that he’d met all the qualifications with flying colors, this was a hard pill to swallow. And we’d prayed. We’d prayed for God’s will. So—maybe, for our son, being a midshipman was not God’s will. 

I asked Shannon to let me see the letter. I read every word. He’d been rejected because of three medical issues—vision correction, a functional heart murmur, and blood in his urine. (The latter two had been diagnosed during medical exams specifically for his USNA application. In all his years of medical exams, sports injuries, etc. these issues had never been detected.) 

I flipped the letter over and read small print at the bottom. Here I discovered an obscure statement that brought a ray of light through the dark cloud which hovered over my son’s head and heart.

I looked at Shannon and said, “It says here that if you want, you may request a medical waiver for any condition. If a waiver is granted, admission is possible. Do you want to do this?”

“Yes, ma’am.” 

Slowly nodding, I said, “Okay,” and prayed silently.

I looked into my son’s eyes and boldly declared, “Shannon, we’ll request three medical wavers, and if God wants you to go to the Naval Academy, all the devils in Hell will not stop you!”

He agreed and got onto the task of requesting three wavers.

Again, we waited—confidently knowing that if God wanted Shannon to be a midshipman, all the devils in hell would not get in the way. We prepared ourselves for the answer to be yea or nay. 

The year and a half long arduous application process finally bore a final answer when Shannon received a congratulations letter, welcoming him into the United States Naval Academy Class of 92. 

I-Day for Plebes (Internet photo)

His dream came true and in July 1988, he became a lowly plebe, setting sail to begin a twenty-four year exciting and honorable military career—even including being an aviator in fighter jets—fulfilling his greatest military aspiration.

Here again, God slew a giant for His child and all the devils in Hell couldn’t stop Him.

Shannon's retirement "Fini Flight"*

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Are you holding a letter of rejection? Or are you up against a wall of rejection? 

Go about the business of perusing your dream if you believe God put it in your heart. Trust God, knowing that if it’s His will and you’re doing your part, all the devils in Hell won’t stop you.  

Your comments are welcome. 

Be encouraged by this song: “God Will Make A Way”

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zo3fJYtS-o

©Connie Wohlford 2016

*Some of you observant folks may notice that, in the photo, Shannon is wearing an Air Force uniform--not a Navy uniform. That's because ten years into his career he transitioned from Navy to Air Force, switching from the Tomcat F-14 to the Strike Eagle F-15.  

Have you noticed—October is Pastor Appreciation Month?

Have you noticed—October is Pastor Appreciation Month?

I know some churches and individuals make a big deal out of it and have a church supper in honor or their pastor/s—complete with gifts. Some congregations even send their pastor and spouse on a cruise or similar vacation.

Then of course there are other congregations that don’t even know the occasion exists, or perhaps pretend they don’t.

Your pastor prays for you.

It seems that many people are clueless about just how tough it is to be a pastor. Some believe their pastor simply reads his/her Bible, prays, and visits sick people.

The reality is that the job of pastor is much more demanding and complex than that.

I didn’t grow up in a pastor’s home and I’m not a pastor’s wife, so I’ve not have that personal experience. But I’ve know many pastors and have been friends with several pastor’s wives and children. I’ve observed some of the many trials and challenges they go through on a regular basis.

In an article written by Philip Wagner*, himself a pastor, he states: Peter Drucker, the late leadership guru, said that the four hardest jobs in America (not necessarily in order, he added) are:

·         The President of the United States

·         A university president

·         A CEO of a hospital and

·         A pastor   

He goes on to list some of the unique problems pastors face. Here’s a brief synopsis:

1. Pastors face a lot of criticism from many directions and for many reasons.

2. Pastors experience a lot of rejection due to the nature of their position and the nature of congregants coming and going.

3. Pastors often face betrayal, as they work with their staff and minister to people. It’s not unusual for a pastor’s staff or church member to turn on them due to personal conflict or simply not getting their way.

4. Pastors often suffer loneliness due to the fact that they often find it hard to have a close friend.

5. Pastors grow weary due to the numerous hours they spend attending to their many responsibilities.

6. Pastors often have many disappointments and frustrations. Pastors’ salaries are typically average or below the norm and many pastors must have another job in order to meet the financial needs of their families. And they often have no good way to measure their successes and accomplishments, which can be very frustrating.* 

So have you thought about the difficulties faced by pastors and their wives and children?

Most pastors have such a passion to serve God, lead people to Christ, and equip the body they push on through many hardships and trials—with God’s help. But if you could interview a large group of pastors, almost all of them would say they’ve experienced many, if not all, of the above challenges at one time or another.  

In Mr. Wagner’s article, he went on to tell a few things Christians and church members can do to help pastors:

1. Pray for your pastor, that he/she will hear clearly from God.

2. Protect your pastor. Don't get involved with gossip and complaining of other church members.

3. Encourage your pastor. Find ways to help lighten the load and let him/her know you care and want to help in any way you can. 

These three things appear to be very simple and I believe the Holy Spirit can show us other things we can do for our pastors that are specific to their individual needs. When we, as church members, do the above three things with diligence and sincerity, it can make a huge difference in the lives of our pastors and their families. And just think of the benefits for the church as a whole as well.

Baby Dedication - Happy times for pastor.

Remember to smile at your pastor and be friendly to his/her spouse and children. If you want to see your pastor smile back, tell him/her that you appreciate and are praying for him/her.

AND since this is Pastor Appreciation Month, perhaps a gift card or some such gesture of appreciation is in order. Ask God to help you come up with the best way to bless your pastor/s. 

* Italicized sections are paraphrased from Philip Wagner’s article, “The Secret Pain of Pastors and Church Leaders.”  To read the entire article, go to:

http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/167379-philip-wagner-secret-pain-of-pastors.html.

©Connie Wohlford 2015