If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.
John 15:18-21 (NIV)
The word “hate” used by Jesus is very strong. It shows that the world we live in is ruled by a fallen nature that stands in opposition to the divine nature of God. As followers of Christ, we do not belong to this world but are partakers of God’s divine nature. If our lives receive love and affirmation from the world, it should serve as a warning sign that we may have departed from our walk with Him.
This passage reminds us of 1 John 2:15-16: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
Walking deeper with the Holy Spirit gives us a newness of life that is radically different from the one we lived before Christ. Our source of joy and assurance no longer comes from worldly acceptance but from God’s presence and His daily interventions in our lives. The world’s hostility toward us is not a sign of God’s absence but evidence that we belong to Him.
As disciples, we are called to embrace the reality that following Jesus will bring opposition, yet we are never left alone. His Spirit within us gives strength, comfort, and courage to endure, and His love assures us that we are truly His.
We often think that a blessed life is free from trials and tribulations. We may wish God would take us quickly to the end of our struggles. Yet the true blessing is His presence, walking with us through every trial, shaping us into overcomers.
Do you recognise God’s presence carrying you through your current trial? Ask Him to open your eyes to see His hand at work, and pray for a heart that rejoices not in the absence of hardship but in the assurance that He is with you.
Lord Jesus, thank You that true blessing is not the absence of trials but Your presence with me in them. Help me not to fear the world’s hatred or be discouraged by difficulties, but to remember that I belong to You. Teach me to rely on Your Spirit, to walk faithfully even when the road is hard, and to see Your hand carrying me through. Make me an overcomer who reflects Your love and truth in this world. Amen.
“Mountains bow down as we lift Him up…”
— No Other Name, Hillsong Worship