Do you feel as if God took someone or something away from you? Are you sure you have all the facts? Throwing the “God is sovereign card” out on the table without knowing how He exercises authority is lame at best. We can’t just say, “God could have stopped it” while pointing the finger at Him. There’s more at play here. God can do whatever He wants, but what He does and allows to happen according to His infinite wisdom is beyond our understanding. Remember, Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). If someone stole something from you, was it Jesus or the devil? The devil loves to wreak havoc, then blame God by whispering in our ears, “He could have stopped it.” A number of people bite off on that one, including some believers. Rest assured, the time is coming when God will indeed stop it all.
Ironically, people get upset with God when He doesn’t impose His will on other people; yet, become angry if they thought He would violate their will.
In His sovereignty, God works through everything while allowing everyone the right to make their own decisions. For those who are in the disappointed camp: don’t get angry with the Lord if He reveals a way to go in some area in your life, but you reject His counsel, and everything falls apart as the result. Whose fault is that? You cannot control what others do, but you still can make personal decisions. You can still follow Jesus, even though other may have done you wrong. You can still choose bitterness, and live a miserable life. Stay disappointed if you like, but don’t blame Him for the results. What are your core values?
Selfishness breeds contempt, and affixes blame when things don’t’ go one’s way.
Selfish people are possessive. What part of “The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it” (Psalm 24:1) do they not understand? Who is the Lord here? If God did “take something away from them,” wasn’t His to begin with? If you lend something to a friend, isn’t it your right to get it back? Why should your friend be upset with you if you reclaimed your possession? To Whom to do they belong? If you claim Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, doesn’t He have the final say in your life? Wait a minute, it’s no longer your life: “You are not your own. For you have been bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). God could force every one of us to do His will, but He doesn’t. He still allows us to make decisions and choices. You can still decide to yield to Him and trust Him with everything, or you can choose to reject Him altogether.
Are you aware that even though God is the Lord of all, He still serves us? Do you enjoy the air in your lungs? Do you find sunrises pleasant? Does He answer your prayers and move on your behalf? If you don’t think God has ever moved on your behalf, consider the Cross!
Okay, now for a tough one. Everyone will see a loved ones depart from the earth. As much as we love them, God loves them far more. If a loved one goes on to be with the Lord, shouldn’t we rejoice for him or her? Why would a person be angry? Obviously, at times, anger does come into play for various reasons, and not necessarily for selfish ones. For some, anger is a way to cope with loss. Some try to avoid sorrow this way, but understand it’s important to mourn. Without mourning, healing never comes. Tears are healthy. Some become upset because of the way which someone passed. That’s understandable. There’s no way to fully address the whys behind everything. Sure, some things may appear obvious, but often things aren’t so much. Asking why probably won’t bring very much comfort, even if there is an answer. The big thing is knowing that the Father is there to comfort us, and help us get through the grieving process.
If anger is overwhelming someone, a good place to start is forgiveness.
That includes forgiving God, Himself. If you are angry with Him, tell Him. It’s part of the relationship. For some reason, a few people don’t admit they’re angry with Him. Perhaps, some think that’s sacrilege, and it needs to be hidden. Do they actually think that God doesn’t know already? Denying it, doesn’t make it go away. If you’re angry with the Father, hash it out with Him. He is not some cosmic entity who could care less. He loves you. If God didn’t want us to be able to experience anger, we wouldn’t have the emotion to begin with. It does serve a purpose. It’s a question of why one feels angry and what he or she does with it. Do know that it’s better to be up front with God by addressing Him directly than complain to others.
For some, there’s a need to forgive the departed. They blame them for leaving. People do leave a void in our heart when they’re gone. Some are very dependent on others, and when others die, they feel stranded. We all have to learn to depend on God first and foremost. Let Him pick up the pieces. Besides, they’ll be out of place if we try putting the pieces back together on our own.
Regardless of who gets blamed, we have to forgive them, if we’re going to move forward. Without forgiveness, there’s no healing.
The Perfect Faith Podcast
(New Episode: “Religion Produces Rebellion”)
