Fight or Flight?

A student asked me: "Is it okay to be angry at God for something that He allowed to happen to you?"

The following was my response...

Emotions are simply reactions - automatic, spontaneous reactions. When something good/bad happens to you, your first reaction is usually an emotion. Feelings in and of themselves are not wrong. The Bible speaks freely of emotions - raw, vivid emotions. The book of Job contains the biography of a man who lost everything, and expressed deep hurt, abandonment, confusion, depression, loneliness, and anger. The Psalms are filled with intense emotions: anger, fear, bitterness, brokenness, guilt, frustration, loneliness. Jesus himself felt anguish, anger, sadness, loss. So the issue is not that you react; the issue is how you respond.

God is sovereign – that means that He knows stuff that we will never know. He sees through circumstances to His glory. And I think therein lies the issue. He knows more and so allows situations to happen that will bring Him the most glory – and that seems unfair. Shouldn’t God be out for our good? Shouldn’t He seek to protect and to bless those who are sold out for Him? But…He doesn’t. That sucks. Honestly, you could spend all of your energy trying to figure God out…but you won’t. The Bible is clear – God’s thoughts and ways aren’t our thoughts and ways. No kidding, right? So if you spend time and energy trying to figure out how a good God lets bad things happen, you will end up angry and bitter…at Him. Here’s the deal – it’s really not a good idea to be mad at the God of the universe. I mean, I ‘m just saying. He is quite a bit bigger and stronger and wiser than you. He has all the power…and I really wouldn’t want to be up against that…personally. I think this is why some people just cop out and become atheists and agnostics. It is easier to just not believe than to deal. The problem with this is that this person will die and go to Hell. How is that for straightforward?

So right now you have three options:

1.       Be angry and bitter the rest of your life – miserable.

2.       Try to get back at God – useless.

3.       Choose to not believe – hopeless.

Okay, nothing good about those. However depending on how angry you are, one of those options probably looks really justifiable and relieving. Let me remind you…you are setting yourself up against the God of the Universe. You will not win.

Your only option for peace is to lean hard into the promises of God regardless of how you feel, what people say, or your circumstances.

Read John 11 and the end of Job and realize that God is the sovereign, almighty, everlasting Creator and He agrees that you cannot and will not ever understand Him completely. Read Ephesians chapter one and soak in all the ways God has blessed you despite your sinfulness. Read through Hebrews 13 and realize God will never leave you alone…you can deal with your emotions WITH GOD. Dwell on WHO God is and not always on what He does. Allow Him to comfort you (Corinthians) in the midst of the pain. Philippians says that God gives peace that surpasses our thoughts and feelings…you need that now. Stop spending all of your time fighting God about your circumstances, when He wants to prove Himself so real to you through your circumstances. Just a thought.