Learning to Hate What God Hates

Devotional for February 24th, 2026

Topic: Learning to Hate What God Hates

Scripture: Proverbs 8:13 (KJV) "The fear of the LORD is to detest evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil path, and the froward mouth, do I hate."

There is something terribly unsettling about the term hate. We live in a world that urges us to be tolerant, to accept everything, and to never voice opposition against anything. But here in this ancient wisdom from the book of Proverbs, we see God Himself proclaiming that there are things He completely despises. And if we truly fear Him, if we sincerely honour Him with the awe and respect He deserves; we will grow to despise those exact same things.

This verse stopped me in my tracks when I first properly grasped it. I had always felt that loving God was enough. I believed that as long as I attended church, read my Bible, and tried to be a nice person, I was walking in the fear of the Lord. But God showed me something deep through this scripture. Genuine appreciation for God is not just about what we adore. It is equally about what we choose to reject, dislike, and turn away from.

Look at what God clearly mentions here: pride, arrogance, the evil manner, and the froward mouth. These are not just trivial inconveniences to God. These are things that provoke His heavenly hatred. Pride places self on the throne where only God belongs. Arrogance whispers to our hearts that we know more than our Creator. The bad way is the path that pulls us away from His presence. And the froward mouth talks twisted words that corrupt, deceive, and destroy.

I remember a season in my own life when pride had softly wrapped itself around my heart. I did not even identify it at first. I assumed I was simply confident. I believed I was just walking in the gifts God had given me. But slowly, I began to take credit for things that only His kindness had accomplished. I started looking down on people who were weaker in faith. And one day, in the silence of prayer, the Holy Spirit rebuked me so severely that I sobbed for hours. God revealed to me that my pride was an offence to Him. It was not confidence. It was arrogance wrapped in religious clothes.

That moment broke something in me, but it also healed something. When we allow God to show us the ugliness of sin the way He sees it, we begin to acquire a righteous hatred for it. Not a hatred rooted in self-righteousness, but a hatred formed from love. We abhor sin because we adore God. We dislike pride because we cherish humility. We reject the forward mouth because we desire words that offer life and not destruction.

Friends, this is not about becoming judgemental or nasty against others. This is about analysing our own hearts with ruthless honesty. It is about asking the Holy Spirit to beam His light into the crevices of our souls where pride hides. It is about sacrificing our hubris at the foot of the cross and admitting that without Christ, we are nothing.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and wisdom urges us to line our hearts with His. When we despise what God hates, we shield ourselves from the same things that would damage our relationship with Him. When we reject evil, we create space in our lives for kindness, righteousness, and peace to thrive.

Today, I encourage you to spend time in honest reflection. Ask yourself: Is there any pride in my heart that I have been excusing? Are there words I have spoken that have been misinterpreted or harmful? Have I walked in ways that I know displease my Father? If the answer is affirmative, do not despair. Run to Him. Confess. Repent. And allow His grace to cleanse you and restore you to the place of humility and reverence where blessing comes.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I come before You with an open heart today. Search me and know me. Reveal any pride, arrogance, or evil way that has taken root in my life. I want to love what You love and hate what You dislike. Forgive me for the times I have allowed sin to live in my heart without conviction. Cleanse me, Lord, and develop in me a pure heart that fears You and honors You in all things. Help me to live in humility and to say words that bring life. I give my pride to You today. In Jesus' great name, Amen.

Author: Benjamin Thornwell