I know what it’s like to fear failure. As a classic over-thinker, I often deliberate over outcomes until I’ve exhausted my ability to think clearly. Why? Because I don’t want to fail. I don’t want others to see me in a state of defeat. And more than anything, I don’t want to endure the anxiety of recovering from disappointment.

Several years ago, as I sat in my college library drafting cover letters for various job descriptions, this fear dictated my every move. I desperately wanted to land a job before graduation—not because I wanted a stable income, or because I wanted to move into my first apartment, but because I wanted an employer to articulate one sweet and rewarding sentence: “you’re good enough for us.”

As graduation drew closer, my diligence had seemingly gone to waste. The resume I worked so hard to develop had failed to catch the attention of an employer, leaving me alone, in my college library, wrestling with the disappointment of rejection. I felt defeated. Finally, just weeks before graduation, I received a phone call from an enthusiastic employer: someone believed in me.

Through this trial, I remember feeling trapped by self-doubt. I didn’t believe I was good enough for others, as if I was nothing more than a castaway floundering in the wake of everybody else’s success. For a moment, I allowed rejection to define me.

Near the end of my journey, I can vividly remember a friend listening intently as I griped about my disappointment. “So, where does God fall into all of this?” he said. I stared at him, somewhat perplexed, as I gathered my thoughts. And then it hit me. Because I had so profoundly feared rejection, I stopped relying on God to love me, care for me and direct me. I stopped putting my trust in him—and began putting my trust in the opinion of hiring managers and human resource directors. I lost sight of God’s provision.

If you can relate to this experience, or find yourself in the midst of rejection, call out to the Lord. Meditate on his words in Scripture, seeking him for confidence and self worth. These four verses will get you started:

  1. The Lord will never abandon us.
    Be determined and confident. Do not be afraid of them. Your God, the Lord himself, will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. – Deuteronomy 31:6 (GNTD)
  2. The Lord’s approval creates hope.
    We also boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings God’s approval, and his approval creates hope.– Romans 5:4 (GNTD)
  3. The Lord chose us to carry out his work.
    I brought you from the ends of the earth; I called you from its farthest cornersand said to you, ‘You are my servant.’ I did not reject you, but chose you. – Isaiah 41:9 (GNTD)
  4. The Lord will show us the right way.
    Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way. – Proverbs 3:5-6 (GNTD)