Being hated is a hopeless feeling. Few things discourage us more than rejection from someone we want to accept us. We’re tempted to put our hope in the affirmation of others–to find our moods, our peace of mind, our joy–sort of fixed to how others esteem us, what they think about us. Walking the way of Jesus in the world…
John 15:26-27, “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” The hatred of the world is an opportunity for the people of God to:…
Sticking with Jesus can be costly. You can do all the things he tells you to do and still suffer. When are you tempted to quit something? When it gets hard. But there’s an even deeper pain than the pain of a tough workout, a long trek, or a crummy job–the pain of rejection, the pain of being disliked, the…