-An exclusive excerpt from Allen’s new book-
A lot of things are opposed in this world. Order is opposed. Peace is opposed. Freedom is opposed. And, at times, our God-given creativity will be opposed, rejected, or ignored.
As you live in greater union with God and create with him, don’t let this resistance catch you off guard.
Rejection is hard. It can shake us to our core and cause us to doubt everything. If God gave us a talent for such a time as this, why isn’t he blessing our efforts? Did we hear wrong? Does Jesus even understand how this feels? He does. In this world, nothing is more opposed than Jesus. Scripture is clear that Jesus is the stumbling stone to a world determined, since Eden, to make life work on its own terms:
He is the Stone that some will stumble over, and the Rock that will make them fall. (1 Peter 2:8 TLB)
No matter the issue or the situation, if you drill down far enough, Jesus is who this world and its powers actively move against.
And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22 NLT)
When you feel opposed or unseen, know that God hasn’t rejected you. He is partnering with those, like you, who will say yes and follow him into the chaos of this broken world, with no guarantees other than his steadfast presence.
There can also be more straightforward reasons our work isn’t gaining traction. It may not be meant for those we are sharing it with. All of us are drawn to certain things—and not to others. This type of rejection requires discernment for you and grace for the other person. Or maybe the gifting that God’s given you simply requires more hard work before it’s ready for prime time. This type of rejection requires grace for yourself. A third possibility is that sometimes God closes doors we shouldn’t enter. In the moment, this can feel like rejection when it’s really spiritual protection.
Notice in these cases that the rejection isn’t usually personal. Remembering this helps separate who you are from what you do.
(From The Creativity Glitch: How to Stop Being Stuck, Find Your Groove, & Create with God. Copyright © 2026 Allen Arnold.)
This reading was crafted to encourage your pursuit of story and creativity with God. Your donation makes this crowd-funded initiative possible. You can support it via PAYPAL (or by check to Allen Arnold at PO Box 62841, Colorado Springs, CO 80962).
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