One of the toughest things to handle is rejection. When people are asked about their biggest fears, rejection ranks near the top. No one likes to be turn away or turned down. We long to be accepted and appreciated by people.

Sadly, but realistically, rejection is part of life. It’s something that happens to us repeatedly. Not everyone is going to like you, appreciate you or invite you into their world. Your initiatives towards others will sometimes be ignored or flat out refused. There will be times that those you thought were the closest to you will be surprisingly disloyal. All of this hurts, and if you’re not careful, repeated rejections and betrayals can cause you to become calloused and closed to others. It robs your trust in people.

The Bible warns us about the consequences of a hardened heart. When we become cold on the inside we create internal walls to prevent more pain. Over time we slip into an isolated world that lets practically no one in. We relinquish our willingness to trust anyone.

One of the problems with emotional walls is that it keeps everybody out. You forfeit the possibilities of loving anyone anymore. You may feel safer, but in reality, while keeping potential pain away, you’re also keeping people away, and the love they may want to share with you.

Real love holds on to a key and necessary attitude of the heart — trust.  The Bible says, “love … always trust” (See 1 Corinthians 13:7). Holding on to trust is vital to keeping a heart of love.

In the face of all your rejections and betrayal, don’t let go of trust. Don’t let your heart become hard, cold, cynical and calloused. Keep love alive by keeping trust alive!