As Christians, we always pray to God, asking for one need or another. According to the word of God, if you ask for something, it shall be given to you. Many Christians have been holding on to these words of affirmation while waiting for their prayers to be answered. Sometimes the prayers are delayed from being answered. Other times unwanted misfortunes might befall you as a Christian until you ask yourself, does God hate me?
The answer is no. God does not hate you, as He gave his only son for your salvation John 3:16. Christian teachings have always informed us that God answers our prayers in three ways, He might give an instant yes, an instant no, or a wait. All these depend on how genuine your prayer is. On the misfortunes part, every Christian experiences such moments, just as Christ experienced misfortunes. You should, therefore, not feel like God hates you when you go through hard times.
It is usual for a Christian to feel frustrated whenever things go haywire. However, the word of God encourages us always to be hopeful of better things. As you continue reading this article, you will understand why God does not hate you despite your challenges, why God does not show favoritism and the unconditional love God has for you.
Does God show favoritism?
This is a question you asked yourself as a Christian at least once in your life. It happens mostly when your fellow Christians are becoming prosperous, giving testimonies day in and day out while you are stagnating. It is frustrating to think that God only attends to other people’s prayers while ignoring yours.
Sometimes, several misfortunes might befall you while another does not get a single misfortune coming their way. Such situations may lead you to question God and even feel like He shows favoritism to some people while ignoring you.
However, this is not the case, as the Bible tells us He is a just God. The fact that He created everybody in His image and likeness shows that He is a God who loves everybody, as recorded in Genesis 1:26-28. The Bible further tells us that we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord in Galatians 2:28. Being equal in the eyes of the Lord means that he favors and blesses each one of us equally.
The best instance that proves that God does not show favoritism is when he allowed His only son Jesus Christ to come and die for our sins. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The verse does not say that Jesus came to die for a specific group of people but for everybody who believes in him. This was done out of God’s pure love for the human race, everyone included.
As a Christian, you should also remember that the Bible talks about different times; indeed, there is a time for everything, as stated in Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. There is a time to be happy and a time to cry. When facing challenging moments, remember the good moments and thank God for both. Do not praise God for the beautiful moments; curse him for the sad ones. Roman 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Why do people sometimes feel like God hates them?
Whenever we pray as Christians, we mostly expect instant yes answers from God. Sometimes, He answers with a wait and hopes you patiently await his response. Whenever the answer is delayed, the devil sometimes plays his role and brings the vice of impatience into the thoughts of a Christian who has just prayed. As a Christian, you might feel like God is taking too long to answer your prayers, and perhaps He hates you.
Funerals and inevitable misfortunes make some people feel like God hates them. They immediately forget that no human is immortal and end up feeling hopeless about depending on God. Some Christians have even prayed but received the opposite of what they had asked God.
Some people also feel like they do not have a purpose in the world, making them feel uninspired, empty, and useless. This happens when you try doing almost everything correctly, but you end up making the wrong moves. This feeling comes from Satan trying to convince you that God created you without a purpose to turn your heart from God. When this feeling from Satan persists, some Christians start thinking that God hates them and did not create them with a purpose in life.
What should I do when I feel like God hates me?
When you feel like God hates you, you are advised to pray that those negative thoughts go away since the Bible tells us God is love. Not only does the Bible tell us that God is love, but it also tells us that He never changes. This means that since He created you with love and sees you as equally as everybody else, He can never change his heart to start hating you. It is only Satan who can bring about feelings of hate.
One can rebuke this feeling of hate through prayers. As you pray to God, ask Him to replace the feeling of being hated by Him that comes from Satan with that of love that comes from Him. Remember, the devil is always a liar and will bring such feelings to you as a Christian to strain your relationship with God. Reject Satan through prayer, and you will start feeling the love of God in abundance.
Reading your Bible is also paramount when you feel that God hates you. Several great bible verses will remind you of the love that God has for you. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the revelation and true meaning of the word as God intended it to be. While reading these verses, you will realize how much God loves you and the promises that He has made to you.
The Bible will show you some of the promises He has already fulfilled in your life that will prove to you the unconditional love He has for you. By looking at the promises, He has already worked on, remind yourself that e is a faithful God who will fulfill all the other promises. Keep praying about them, and you will see God’s love in your life.
You should also remind yourself that you did not just land on earth out of sheer luck; God had a purpose for you even before He created you. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you before you were born; I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” This is a reminder that before God even put you in your mother’s womb, He already had a purpose for you; therefore, you are not useless. As you remind yourself that you have a purpose, pray to God to reveal this purpose to you.
Since God does not reason like humans, His revelation might take time. Pray to God to give you the patience to wait on Him as He reveals your purpose. Also, pray that the devil takes no control of your thoughts during this time.
Finally, always remind yourself that God’s timing is the best. You might think He is delaying your plans, but as the master of planners, He knows the correct time to do his perfect job for you. Always remind yourself that God has a purpose and plan for you, and e will perfectly work it out for you.
What Bible verses teach about God’s unconditional love?
Isaiah 54:10 says, “A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath of wine, a home of seed, only an ephah of grain.” This teaches us that God’s love will is more stable and long-lasting than even mountains. Nothing can erode God’s love, and He will never break his commitment to us. Trust in His Love to stand forever.
In 1st john 4:8-12 the Bible clearly shows us God’s unconditional love for humankind that He gifted us His only son.
Roman 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This proves that despite our nature as sinners, God still loves us and sent Christ to die for our sins.
Ephesians 2:4-7 talks about God’s love for sinful people that is shown by his Grace.
Hebrews 12:16 says, “See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.” The verse reveals that God sometimes shows his love by disciplining us when we sin so that we live rightfully.
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This proves God’s ultimate unconditional love for us: He gave his only son to die for our sins so that we may be saved.
These are just a few verses that prove God’s unconditional love for us. As you continue reading the Bible, you will encounter more verses proving that God is love and can never hate you.
References
Bible verses that teach about God’s love for us
What the Bible says about God’s love for us
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
