Opening Verse
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.”
Psalm 37:1 (KJV)
Introduction
Haters will come. People will lie. Others will mock. Some will try to tear you down just because you’re walking with Jesus. But the Bible tells us not to waste energy worrying about them. Why? Because their time is short, and your mission is eternal.
Devotional Story
A young man had recently turned his life over to Christ. He stopped partying, stopped stealing, and began reading his Bible every morning. But his old friends didn’t like it. They laughed at him. They told others, “He’s fake. It won’t last.” Even his own cousin said, “You’ll be back with us before the month is over.”
At first, those words hurt. But the man remembered what Jesus said in Matthew 5:11: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” That verse became his anchor.
Instead of fighting back or trying to defend himself, he kept quiet and stayed faithful. Months turned into years. And one by one, the same people who mocked him began asking him for prayer. The cousin who once mocked him is now attending church with him. God used the hate to sharpen his resolve.
What This Means
When people hate on you for following Christ, it’s not really about you. It’s about the light you carry. Darkness hates the light. But God says to ignore their noise and stay focused on Him. The wicked will fade, but those who trust in the Lord will endure forever.
Think About This
Who do you need to stop trying to impress? What hateful voice have you been listening to that God is telling you to block out?
Prayer
Lord, help me to ignore the voices that try to distract me from You. Strengthen my heart to endure rejection, and remind me that You are the one I live to please. Help me walk in truth and love, no matter what others say. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Closing Verse
“But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.” – Jeremiah 20:11 (KJV)