Am I Angry at God?

Anger is a passionate and active response of the entire person to a real or perceived wrong (“Anger,” Bridge Bible Church). It can be assertive, passive aggressive or openly aggressive, but if it is unchecked (especially the latter two), it will cause bitterness and all of the associate ills of this unruly poison. 

Why would we get angry at God? Some self-righteously think that “I love God, He is Good and Holy, Why would I get angry with Him? (so) of course I am not angry.” Some of us are more honest and realize that we really are angry at Him. In any relationship, anger will occur because offenses, perceived and actual, will come. Some are angry at God's people, and don't realize that they are taking it out on Him. 

Anger towards God can arise when we don’t understand or disagree with His actions, like with any parent. Except He’s not just any parent, He’s the ultimate parent who can see everything, creates good paths for us to trod, is supernaturally patient, merciful, loving, and kind; but He's also our Creator and our Redeemer who also chastises those He love because He knows what's best for us. 

The unfortunate side of being angry at God is very similar to anger with anyone else in authority. We don't take them as seriously as we should; we delay acting on what they're telling us; we're constantly looking for a loophole where we can be partially or totally disobedient. That's called following from afar off. Or we're just openly defiant and rebellious.

I think we have too great of a respect, a love, for the world to take God as seriously as we should; we don’t respect Him to the point of true fear, and therefore we don’t hate evil and sin the way that we should. We take God’s mercy and grace for the lenience and procrastination of men, believing that because He has not allowed us to yet receive what we deserve that He will not allow those things we deserve to come upon us. And so warning comes before destruction, and when warning will not work, sure destruction follows. Let him who have an ear hear: this is or was the source of our anger towards God.

And yet, destruction - correction - that does not end in death - means that we still have a chance to understand that our Holy Father loves us and has always desired what is best for us. He is yet giving us another chance to agree with Him, to grab hold of His ability to set us free from that which displeases Him (and which is hurting us!). 

Photo credit: "Mini Anger," Jon Fingas (CC BY-ND 2.0)