The Bible has a lot to say about the issue of self-hate. Where should we begin if we’re talking to a non-Christian who struggles in this area? Self-hate is a topic that gets talked about a lot. So how would you go about sharing the gospel with an unbelieving friend who struggles here? “Hello, Pastor John. I’m Reynaldo from Jakarta. I listen to your podcast more than I read my Bible — and I should change that habit!” Yes, Reynaldo, you should change that ratio immediately! “My question: I have a friend, and she is a Buddhist. She struggles with self-hate, and I am confused about what I have to do about it. I listen to her, and I want to help. But what should I do? “I could give her a self-help book, I suppose. I’m afraid if I get straight to the gospel (which I don’t have a problem saying to her), she will not listen to me. But if I gave her a self-help book, with tips about overcoming this anxiety, I’m afraid that she might improve without experiencing the forgiveness of Christ. So I guess I want to share the gospel sooner than later. If you had a non-Christian friend who struggled with self-hate, how would you proceed?” Episode 1340: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-does-the-gospel-speak-to-self-hate Related Resources: “God’s Work in Your Depression” https://youtu.be/DM9l4es4GWg “Will God Call Me to a Career I Don’t Enjoy?” https://youtu.be/jPN73lIHMbE “Yes to Hating Sin, No to Hating Self” https://youtu.be/dWB_oqB53HA “What Does It Mean to Live ‘in the Flesh’?” https://youtu.be/T_3SRITyNFw Ask Pastor John Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKvMOJ1T8T4&list=PLFF7F6AE365DA3564 Find other recent and popular Ask Pastor John episodes, http://desiringgod.org/ask-pastor-john