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Response
Feeling anger towards God is a common experience that many individuals, whether they are believers or non-believers, have grappled with over time. When a tragic event occurs in our lives, we often question God with the inquiry, “Why?” as it is a natural reaction. However, what we are truly inquiring is not so much “Why, God?” but rather “Why me, God?” This reaction reveals two flaws in our mindset. Firstly, as believers, we sometimes hold the belief that life should be smooth sailing and that God should shield us from tragedy. When this protection does not materialize, we may become upset with Him. Secondly, when we fail to grasp the full extent of God’s sovereignty, we begin to doubt His ability to manage circumstances, other individuals, and their impact on us. Consequently, we may direct our anger towards God because it appears that He has relinquished control over the universe, particularly over our lives. When we struggle with doubts about God’s sovereignty, it is often due to our human limitations clashing with our frustration and our inability to influence events. In times of prosperity, we tend to credit ourselves for our accomplishments and victories. Conversely, when adversity strikes, we are quick to point fingers at God, becoming angry with Him for not preventing it, highlighting the initial flaw in our thinking—that we are entitled to be shielded from unpleasant situations.
Tragic events serve as a stark reminder that we are not the ones in control. At some point, each of us believes that we can dictate the outcomes of various situations, but the reality is that God is the ultimate authority over all of His creation. Every occurrence is either directly caused by God or permitted by Him. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground or a hair from our head without God being aware of it (Matthew
(1 Corinthians 10:13). We may complain, become angry, and blame God for what is happening. However, if we trust Him and surrender our bitterness and pain to Him, recognizing the prideful sin of attempting to impose our own will over His, He can and will provide us with His peace and strength to guide us through any challenging situation. Many followers of Jesus Christ can attest to this reality. We might be upset with God for various reasons, so we all must acknowledge at some point that there are circumstances we cannot control or comprehend with our limited minds.
Our comprehension of God’s sovereignty in all situations must be accompanied by our understanding of His other characteristics such as love, mercy, kindness, goodness, righteousness, justice, and holiness. When we view our trials through the lens of God’s Word—which assures us that our loving and holy God orchestrates all things for our benefit “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”, (Romans 8:28), and that He has an impeccable plan and purpose for us that cannot be thwarted (Isaiah 14:24,46:9-10)—we begin to perceive our challenges differently. Scripture also informs us that this life will not be one of unceasing joy and happiness. Instead, Job reminds us that “man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward” “Yet man is born unto trouble, As the sparks fly upward.”, (Job 5:7), and acknowledges that life is brief and “filled with trouble” «Man who is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.», (Job 14:1). Merely turning to Christ for salvation from sin does not ensure a trouble-free life. Jesus himself stated, “In this world you will face tribulation,” but reassured that He has “conquered the world” «I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.», (John 16:33), granting us inner peace despite the turmoil surrounding us «Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.», (John 14:27).
One certainty is that uncontrolled anger is sinful (Galatians 5:20;Ephesians 4:26-27, 31;Colossians 3:8). Unrighteous anger is counterproductive, opens the door to the devil in our lives, and can rob us of joy and peace if we cling to it. Clinging to anger can lead to the growth of bitterness and resentment in our hearts. We must confess it to the Lord, and through His forgiveness, we can surrender those emotions to Him. We should regularly come before the Lord in prayer during times of sorrow, anger, and suffering. The Bible recounts in 2 Samuel 12:15-23 how David sought the mercy of God for his ailing baby, fasting, weeping, and interceding for the child’s recovery. When the baby passed away, David rose, worshiped the Lord, and assured his servants that he knew the baby was in a better place and that they would reunite in God’s presence. David cried out to God throughout the baby’s illness.ess, and afterward, he bowed before Him in worship. That is a wonderful testimony. God knows our hearts, and it is pointless to try to hide how we really feel. Talking to Him about it is one of the best ways to handle our grief. If we do so humbly, pouring out our hearts to Him, He will work through us, and in the process, will make us more like Him.
The bottom line is, can we trust God with everything, our very lives and the lives of our loved ones? Of course, we can! Our God is compassionate, full of grace and love. As disciples of Christ, we can trust Him with all things. When tragedies happen to us, we know God can use them to bring us closer to Him and to strengthen our faith, bringing us to maturity and completeness (Psalm 34:18;James 1:2-4). Then, we can be a comforting testimony to others (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). That is easier said than done, however. It requires a daily surrendering of our own will to His, a faithful study of His attributes as seen in God’s Word, much prayer, and then applying what we learn to our own situation. By doing so, our faith will progressively grow and mature, making it easier to trust Him to get us through the next tragedy that will most certainly take place.
So, to answer the question directly, yes, it is wrong to be angry at God. Anger at God is a result of an inability or unwillingness to trust God even when we do not understand what He is doing. Anger at God is essentially telling God that He has done something wrong, which He never does. Does God understand when we are angry, frustrated, or disappointed with Him? Yes, He knows our hearts, and He knows how difficult and painful life in this world can be. Does that make it right to be angry with God? Absolutely not. Instead of being angry with God, we should pour out our hearts to Him in prayer and trust that He is in control of His perfect.
plan.
