Being angry at God is something that many people, both believers and unbelievers, have wrestled with throughout time. When something tragic happens in our lives, we ask God the question, “Why?” because it is our natural response. What we are really asking Him, though, is not so much “Why God?” or “Why me, God?”
Frustration with God, His ways and His dealings with us can be a stumbling block for Christians. God could easily handle this problem—why doesn’t He? God knows I have a need—where is He?
These responses indicates two flaws in our thinking. First, as believers we operate under the impression that life should be easy, and that God should prevent tragedy from happening to us. When He does not, we get angry with Him.
Secondly, when we do not understand the extent of God’s sovereignty, we lose confidence in His ability to control circumstances, other people, and the way they affect us. Then we get angry with God because He seems to have lost control of the universe and especially control of our lives.
When we lose faith in God’s sovereignty, and get angry or frustrated with God, it is because our frail human flesh is grappling with our own frustration and our lack of control over events.
When good things happen, we all too often attribute it to our own achievements and success. Often we don't even bother to give God praise and thanks when things are going well for us, even as we endure in this evil, cursed world, and dying world.
Oh but when bad things happen in our lives, however, we are quick to blame God, and we get angry with Him for not preventing it, which indicates the first flaw in our thinking; that we deserve to be immune to unpleasant circumstances, simply because we accepted him as our Lord.
Tragedies bring home the awful truth that we are not in charge. All of us think at one time or another that we can control the outcomes of situations, and live in a world where we have an adversary that is seeking our destruction.
Any of us can become angry with God for many reasons, but we all have to accept at some point that there are things we cannot control or even understand with our finite minds. Our understanding of the sovereignty of God in all circumstances must be accompanied by our understanding that God knows the end of all things, and is endeavoring to work all things out for our Good.
While God indeed does have a perfect plan and purpose for us which cannot be thwarted, that plan of his will never intervene in other peoples sovereign will. He will not force people to please us or placate or own desires for our happiness.
We also know from Scripture that this life will never be one of continual joy and happiness. Rather, Job reminds us that “man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7), and that life is short and “full of trouble” (Job 14:1).
Just because we come to Christ for salvation from sin does not mean we are guaranteed a life free from problems. In fact, Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble,” but that He has “overcome the world” (John 16:33), enabling us to have peace within, in spite of the storms that rage around us, making us miserable (John 14:27).
A point of serious consideration. Ungodly anger is self-defeating, gives the devil a foothold in our lives, and can destroy our joy and peace. Holding on to our anger will allow bitterness and resentment to spring up in our hearts.
The question becomes; 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, and 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. Then, we can be a comforting testimony to others. That is easier said than done, however; and it requires a daily surrendering of our own will to His.
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, or isn't being true to his promises.
Frustration with God could be evidence of a lack of trust in Him or a misunderstanding of who He is. If God is perfect, and the Bible says He is; then He has perfect intentions for us, with perfect timing, perfect methods, and perfect results. As we focus our minds on the Lord and trust in Him, we will know peace, not frustration.
Our frustration with God could be a byproduct of our own stubbornness. When our ambitions conflict with God’s purposes, we will naturally be frustrated. It is never advisable to fight against God.
Moses is a great example of a man getting frustrated and angry with God. Moses became angry with God because of the obstinate attitudes of God's own Chosen people, Israel. instead of following God's specific instructions to strike the rock one time while in the desert, so the people could be refreshed with water, Moses defied God by bashing the rock twice with his rod, an act of intense anger with God.
Numbers 20:9-13 And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him. 10. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11. And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 12. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. 13. This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.
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