When You Feel Angry At God

Our perspective has a lot to do with how we heal from things. I have learned that when I am dealing with a lot of stress, the enemy likes to take advantage of my vulnerable state and whisper lies. The devil will tell me all kinds of things when I am broken to keep me that way.

Lies like:

“God let this happen to you.”

“God never cared about you.”

“You did something wrong and that is why this happened.”

“If Jesus is your Savior, then where is He, huh?”

“Your life will never get better.”

Believing even one of these lies is such a slippery slope. Because, once you believe one of them, soon a few other lies will sneak in, and before you know it you’re feeling hopeless about your life and angry at God. I used to feel mad with God a lot, and now looking back I know it was because I had believed so many lies that I could no longer see Him or myself clearly.

Can we pause for a moment to answer a question? Ask yourself: Am I mad at God? Is there any part of me that blames Him for something bad that happened in my life?

If your answer is yes, don’t worry. We have such a loving, forgiving God! He is ready to help you to lay aside that anger and step into hope today.

God’s Word tells us: “But if we freely admit our sins when his light uncovers them, he will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to forgive us our sins because of Christ, and he will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭TPT‬‬)”

Sadly, when our hearts are broken God is just an easy person to blame. You must wonder sometimes: If God is so powerful, then why couldn’t He help me? Beautiful friend, what about the help He is offering to you now? Do you really want to reject that? Perhaps God has been extending help to you all along, and you just couldn’t see it?

Blaming God is the result of satan’s lies that have altered and blurred our perspective. While this perspective is understandable and undoubtedly fueled by a lot of hurt, it won’t invite healing or hope in your life. Instead, it will make you feel isolated from God, the one who can help you the most. I hope you do not feel like I am judging you here, friend, because I think all of us have thought God “let” something happen to us at one point or another. I certainly used to wonder why He would allow my parents to abuse me so badly for the first 17 years of my life, but over time I realized - by being angry with God, I was only hurting myself. If I couldn't trust my Creator, Someone who promises to love me and help me hundreds of times throughout scripture, then who could I trust? During the most painful seasons of my life, I used to view myself as someone who was lost at sea. One day it occurred to me that God was not some sea monster responsible for my pain - He was a life-raft. Did I really want to push Him away?

Truths that help me fight the temptation to blame God for things that have happened in my life are:

It wasn’t God who hurt me, it was God who got me through the hurt. Sin hurt me, someone with selfish intentions hurt me… but God has always been with me, and He did not let them overcome me. 

I do know that grief and brokenness are complex, and so difficult to navigate. I remember how much I struggled after my mom died four years ago. I remember how lost I felt when my older brother unexpectedly died at 36 years old last year. I have had to navigate lots of traumatic things in my life, and let me tell you - painful events are less consuming and prolonged when you know God is with you. Even the toughest of us will crumble if we are navigating a crisis and the loss of faith at the same time.

When it feels like the rug has been pulled out from beneath you, God is the Rock beneath the rug - and He will not move! Learn to lean on God instead of pushing Him away. Forsake any lies you have believed about who God is and know that no matter what, God will never forsake you.

When life doesn’t turn out the way you hoped, or something awful and unexpected happens… 

1. Remember that God is close to the brokenhearted. Even when your heart is searching for answers, you can ALWAYS be sure of this. God restores the ruins of our lives like no one else can. He brings beauty from ashes. Don’t blame or hide from the One who can help you the most.

“The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain, and he is always ready to restore the repentant one.” - Psalm 34:18 TPT

2. When your life is dark, entertaining even the smallest amount of hope will feel foolish at first. Hope in the Lord anyway. It’s better than giving up, and little by the little the hope you cling to begins to fill you.

“The Lord alone is our radiant hope and we trust in him with all our hearts. His wraparound presence will strengthen us.” - Psalm 33:20 TPT

3. This one is especially tough, but instead of getting angry at God when painful situations suddenly arise - seek to be the kind of person who stays faithful.

I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness, the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed. I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—the feeling of hitting the bottom. But there’s one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:

God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left.

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It’s a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through the hard times.

When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The ‘worst’ is never the worst.”

- Lamentations 3:19-30 MSG

Perhaps stop and pray something like this today: “God, I am so sorry for doubting how good and trustworthy You are. Please point out every lie I have believed and show me how to have a resilient, unstoppable faith. Teach me how to doubt the enemy’s lies instead of doubting Your love for me. Amazing God, I know now that You are not the cause of my pain. You are my Life-raft! You are my Rock! From now on, I choose to lean on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”