Why does God hate me? (Hint: He doesn’t)
It’s an unfortunate reality that some of the most common questions people have about God are something along the lines of “Why does God hate me?” or “Why did God make me this way?”
A New York Times article from 2015 called “Googling for God” noted that some of the most commonly searched questions about God in Google include:
“Why does God hate me?”
“Why did God make me ugly?”
“Why did God make me gay?”
“Why did God make me black?”
All of these questions are heartbreaking and dismaying, especially the last two. So many people feel uncomfortable in their skin and unloved. They reasonably turn to God and wonder why He would make them a figure of oppression if He is truly a good and powerful Creator.
Attempting to provide a satisfactory answer for such big questions is not a job any human can really accomplish, but if you have questions like these, we can try to help shed some light.
Why God doesn’t hate you
One of the most important things to remember when you feel unloved, ostracized or oppressed is that this is not representative of the machinations of God at work. These feelings are the result of the machinations of mankind.
All good things are from God. All that is bad and wrong in this world is a result of mankind’s sinful nature. This is a broader concept than can be difficult to imagine, especially if someone feels they were born with any disadvantages. After all, how can it be mankind’s fault that someone is born blind or missing a limb? We don’t have an exact answer for this, but many Christians believe this is a symptom of the sin that was introduced to our lives when Adam and Eve sinned against God.
Answering a question such as why did something bad happen to someone is difficult, but we know that the Bible makes it clear the God is good, wants only good for us, and loves all of us:
“So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.”
James 1:16-18 (MSG)
“Peter fairly exploded with his good news: ‘It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from — if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel — that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again — well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone.’”
Acts 10:34-36 (MSG)
“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.”
John 3:16-17 (MSG)
Centerpoint Church is ready to walk with you on your faith journey
At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. We are currently going through a new sermon series titled “To Hell With Normal.” It’s all about redefining what we consider normal in life as we seek to make our lives more like the way Jesus would have them to be.
Do you want to grow in your faith or are you simply curious about who this Jesus guy is? You’re not alone. We encourage you to listen to our series online and welcome you to come to one of our Sunday morning services in Valrico, Florida.