Mad at God

I think it is a very normal, and a very human reaction, to be angry at God at times. But at the same time, I believe that anger at God is a misplaced notion that is based on incorrect assumptions about God.

People tend to believe that God is so wonderful that He will never allow anything bad to happen to you. So when something does go wrong, we get angry because God didn't apparently do his job. Therefore, God is not all loving, all wonderful, all caring, all everything.

However, in my reading of scripture, and in my own experiences in life, I have found this not to be the case.

God is not at my beck and call, and God has not promised me a free ride through life. One thing that God has promised, though, is that I will know the difference between good and evil. And yet, how can I know what is good or evil, unless I have experienced it?

This is what I told my daughter once when she asked if God was so good, then why was there evil in the world. I told her that it goes back to the temptation in the Garden. To eat of the fruit would mean that you would be as gods, knowing good from evil. And yet, in order to know the difference, you have to experience it. And so bad things do happen to "good people." So if I have never experienced pain, then how could I know what it is to be healthy? If I have never experience loss, then how can I understand when another person loses? And if I have not experienced death, then how can I sympathize with one who has lost a love one to death?

So in exchange for this knowledge, I have to experience it. And God, in His ultimate wisdom, will allow me to do so, for good or for bad, for good or for evil. So God doesn't "shield" me experiencing the bad things in life, and I cannot be angry at Him when He allows it. HOWEVER, there is one thing that I am promised from Him: whenever I do experience trials and tribulations in my life, He will be standing there with me, getting me through it all.

So even though I may feel anger at God, I know that He is fair and just. And if I allow him to do so, He will get me through it all, and I will grow into the man He wants me to be.


mozier

 

Good answer!

To add to mozier's wise words, I would say that anger at God, whilst not theologically valid, can nevertheless be a perfectly valid emotional response, provided ultimately there is repentance and a desire for reconciliation on our part. I think that He is big enough to take it.

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

I too have struggled with the question of do we have a "right" to be angry with God. A few months ago I was of the mindset that I had every right to be. Then I read my Bible and prayed and read the Bible more.
Here is what I learned in that on going process so far.
I had to ask myself some really hard questions.
Was I really angry
at God, or angry at myself for putting that desire for what I wanted before God in my life?
Was I using my anger toward God to "manipulate" him into giving me what I wanted?
For me, the answers were yes. I realized that I was not living for God, but for what I thought would be best for me. And I expected God to just hand it to me and then when he didn't I basically told him I will be angry with
You til You give it me.
Over the past few months I have done alot of soul searching of myself and realized a few things. Some were and still are very hard lessons.
I won't go into the details of the happenings, but I will share with you the verses that helped change my mind.
First and foremost I had to realize my place in this world. I am a child of the King. He loves me, and wants the best for me. But he isn't going to just give it to me. He is going to teach me hard lessons in the process. I
am the clay, he is the potter. He is the shepherd, I am a sheep. I once
heard an anology put on that last one. That sheep are the dumbest animals put on this earth. That without their shepherd they would never survive.
In my case, I fully agree.
Isaiah 55:9-As the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
Psalm 46:10-Be still, and know that I am God
John 16:33-I have told you these things so that in ME you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Romans 8:28-In ALL things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Thessalonians 5:17-18- Pray continually; Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 12:9- My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
Luke 22:42-Not my will, but Yours be done.
1 Corinthians 2:9-No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him.
Now, in my case, this is what those verses say to me (in short).That God is in control. He knows what is best for me. When I pray I can get one of three answers. Yes, No and Wait. And while the answer I get may not have been what I wanted or expected God in contol and knows what is best for me in the long term, I can't see what is in the future for me. Only God does.
When I get an answer that I don't like I am to Thank Him for it anway and God can give me peace about it. Now, the point of this is to ONLY share what I have learned in the process of my walk with God.

 

I believe that anger is a normal response to many situations that are not fair (as far as we percieve them). In fact, some anger is good within boundaries set out in the Bible. Misplaced anger is a sin or at least leads us into sin. Anger aimed at God is definately misplaced. I have found that it is a matter of spiritual maturity that we come to thank God in the "bad " times as well as the "good" times. Paul told us to count it all as joy. It would not need to be called out and explained if this was obvious and easy to do.

So anger at God is a common sin and it is a sin that as we mature we should be able to overcome..

 

Only the LORD knows, Servent. But....and I speak from personal experience...give the man time. Let him rant and rave, and have his head. Dn't go round quoting Scripture at him; to a man angry with God, that seems incredibly trite and can be a red rag to a bull. Pray for him, cry and grieve with him, but let him - and God - work out the differences between them.

When I got divorced, I was very angry with a lot of people - myself first of all, my ex-wife, but also God. As part of the grieving and healing process,I had to forgive all of them - including God. Now, theologically, of course, that is manifestly absurd - some might say even blasphemous - but we are not talking about theology here, we're talking about human emotion. Job's comforters were full of 'correct theology', yet none of them had the answer to his anger and pain. Only a head-to-head confrontation with God worked for him.

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

I do not believe it is right to be angry at God. Yes, sometimes we get upset with God, and ask him questions, like "Why, Lord, did you let this happen in my life?" or "Why, Father, did you not let this happen to me?" or things like that. There is nothing wrong with asking God questions, but you'd better NOT challenge God and tell Him that He's wrong, because He knows EXACTLY what He's doing at ALL times. It's allright to get angry, but don't get sinfully angry, and don't direct the anger at God. Ephesians 4:26 says "Be ye angry, and sin not..." which means that it's allright to be angry, as long as you don't sin while being angry.

 

O, I dont think minds the angre directed at Him

AS LONG AS - yer willing to back it up and answer His questions - see Job

Servent - I feel for your friend - but sometimes being nice is the absolutely worst thing

He's hiding from the truth - true God can reach your friend on His own - and is possibly the safest route, but is it the most responsible route?

I tend to have no problem insulting a person if their viewpoint is wrong.

But then again Im a crude and blunt person

 

Be angry and sin not (smile)?

I'm angry (for whatever reason), but you are holy, just, righteous, long-suffering, praise-worthy, good, kind, almighty, and always right about everything.

He is worthy of all that and more. I hear in scripture that he is full of pity and understands our frame.

When "venting", just don't forget to praise him and give thanks for everything too.

Just thinking out loud.

Dave.

 

Job 38-42:

Here are some interesting excerpts:

Job 40:1-14:

Job 40
1 The LORD said to Job:

2 "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
Let him who accuses God answer him!"

3 Then Job answered the LORD :

4 "I am unworthy-how can I reply to you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
5 I spoke once, but I have no answer-
twice, but I will say no more."

6 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm:

7 "Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.

8 "Would you discredit my justice?
Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
9 Do you have an arm like God's,
and can your voice thunder like his?
10 Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.
11 Unleash the fury of your wrath,
look at every proud man and bring him low,
12 look at every proud man and humble him,
crush the wicked where they stand.
13 Bury them all in the dust together;
shroud their faces in the grave.
14 Then I myself will admit to you
that your own right hand can save you.

Job 42:1-6:

Job 42


Job

1 Then Job replied to the LORD :

2 "I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.

4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."

 

Do you consider this to be a bad thing to do when talking with your friend and why?

Joseph Botwinick

 

Anger toward God is indicative of:

1) Self-will
2) Distrust
3) Impatience
4) Ignorance

etc.

Never at anytime is it a righteous action, and it is therefore a sinful and invalid human response.

 

Amen, Aaron.

Joseph Botwinick

 

Just the folks the Savior died for. He didn't come to save the righteous, but the unrighteous.

He has mercy on those who know and confess:
I do not trust you.
I am impatient.
I am self-willed.
I am ignorant.
Save me from that which I cannot save myself from.

It is in this that unceasing thanks can overflow.

I am still prone to all of those negative things, but he is faithful and (if I stand) only he causes me to stand.

I only believe what he said and always try do what he said to do.

IMhO, only a real son can speak frankly, boldly and honestly (when needed) to a father. An outsider and even just a mere servant does not have that privilege.

He can save those who are "mad at him" too. At least those who are mad at him have a concept of a real personal relationship.

Nevertheless, I strive never to mad at him, but if I am, he seems to understand because I am one of his many sons. I am one of those who has been bought at much cost to him personally.

Dave.

 

David,

Nobody has denied what you say that God can and does save these people. But, the Bible is pretty clear that it is sin to be mad at God and point an accusatory finger in his face. It is not ok, it is sin. Just read the passage I posted about Job and how God responded to his worldly, sinful tirade and see for yourself.

Joseph Botwinick

 

Joseph provided some useful scripture. The one time I was mad at God and tried to deny His existance (yes i was saved at the time) He used a person who did not even know me to share the story of Job with me. The big difference between Job and I was that I was under His discipline for my own sin. So I acted like the spoiled kid that I am... God, to make a long story short, allowed me to make my life a total trainwreck. When the time was right, (I had gotten myself, literally, to the point of preparing to commit suicide) He sent a man to introduce me to Job. Never met the guy before, nor have I seen him since. Perhaps you are the person that God intends to use to share the story of Job with your friend. God is gracious and will call His own back unto Himself.

 

"Question, do we have the right to be mad at God."

Know all about it. Something bad happens, the rest of the congregation goes:"Why God?! Why?!".
And I'm thinking: "You seem to have forgotten that one day you will have to face me Lord Allmighty and that I am not as easily blustered as that simpering fool Job."

I'm such a sinner.