Mad @ God

[Polish Tom]

What do you say to a person that is mad @ God for situations that happened in their lives? (Death, rape, etc...)

[Da juggler]

tell them that GOD puts us through sit. so we can be stronger and learn from it but the evil in that sit. is from the devil

[ShArP]

you can always say that all things that God is doing is good, you just have to take a minute to realize it instead of blaming God for everything. We only make things bad, God does not want to make them bad.

[GuitarDude22]

Look at it like a test of faithfulness to God that no matter what a person may go through we still have to follow God.

[Da juggler]

kinda like what JOB went through

[Sparrowhood]

Let me just say, thinking of those situations in a postive light is nearly impossible. As one who has been through those experiances, saying "Oh well, it's just something God put us through to make us better" is ridiculous. God doesn't cause someone to rape us so that we can grow closer to him, that doesn't even make sense. However, God did give us free will and some people choose to shame that and disgrace humanity.

So Tom, speaking from personal experiance this is what I would say..

It is ok to be angry with God, God doesn't mind when you are upset with him because you don't understand, at least you are trying to work with him in some way and not just walking away. God did not want this for you, he did not want this to happen to you. Yes it hurts that he did not stop it, but the person who did this to you, is the person who made the choice, God cannot control our actions, that person did that through their own free will. However, there is hope. God can use, what the world does to us to help us grow. If you choose to lean on God he will carry you through this process, he will not abandon his beloved. Allow him to pull you through this situation as well as those who love you.

that's my oppinion

[SevenFaith]

Wow ...what he said!
Also...
Sometimes being mad at God is just a step in the healing process so to speak...Shock, denial, anger at self, anger at God, anger at whomever hurts us, ......till we finally get to the point hopefully of acceptance and forgiveness of self and others including God and realizing what Sparrowhood said..

[Sparrowhood]

Wow ...what he said!
Also...
Sometimes being mad at God is just a step in the healing process so to speak...Shock, denial, anger at self, anger at God, anger at whomever hurts us, ......till we finally get to the point hopefully of acceptance and forgiveness of self and others including God and realizing what Sparrowhood said..

Her but yes, it is a part of the healing process, something i learned and keep learning.

[SevenFaith]

Sorry

Yes a few may react differently but it is just according to the person. Anger at God, questioning God, Ignoring God.. .part of the process.. I do think anger is pretty common.

I have seen some embrace God in trials but I think they all at least questioned God in Why? if nothing else.

It is getting past it that is most important. God wants us to move past it..

[osu122975]

What do you say to a person that is mad @ God for situations that happened in their lives? (Death, rape, etc...)

Matthew 5:45b ...for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust

Romans 9:14-16 14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”[f] 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.

Some people are the way they are because that is the way they choose to be. Circumstances will shape a person. Some choose to be a victim and others choose to fight back. Most people who choose to be a victim are the ones who blame God for everything rotten in their lives. Granted, the curse we live in is unbearable at times, but that is why God chose to reconcile us to Himself thru Jesus. It has always been given to us the choice to accept or reject the ways of God.

[staciemarie]

All very good advice, and actually helps me right now, too, in trying to help my daughter through stuff. THAnks!

[robhev]

Exodus 14:13-14 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

There are lots of stories in God's word that strike an emotional chord with me. Probably because a lot of them take you from the pit of dispare, to overflowing with joy in just a couple of verses or pages. Like this story for instance. Moses and the Israelites were finally allowed to leave Egypt after 430 years of slavery (Ex12:41) and on the way out Pharaoh has a change of heart and decides to send his army after them to bring them back to Egypt.(Ex14:5) When the Israelites saw Pharaoh's army approaching they're hearts must have melted. Here they were out of Egypt after many years of slavery, finally free and all the sudden their freedom was in jeopardy as well as their very lives. They had no weapons, no where to run, and surely they were in no condition to fight. They had to feel like all hope was lost. We all face moments like this in life. Moments when our faith is tested beyond all reasonable measures. Moments when everything seems lost or about to be lost. Rather than trusting God in their moment of need the Israelites chose to complain "why did you bring us out of Egypt they said... was it because there were not enough graves in Egypt? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" You know, I wonder how they felt after the water parted? I wonder if they felt sorry about all the whining and complaining they did just moments before God showed His glory? Did they stop for a moment to apologize to God? did they go up to Moses and say you know man, I'm really sorry... I was wrong. I believe God puts all of us through moments like this to test us and to prove Himself to us and even more importantly so that He can be glorified. Ex14:4 says "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." The real question is how do we handle those situations when when they come up. Do we cry out like the Israelites did or do we wait upon the Lord trusting that He is working all things out according to His perfect will? I can honestly say that I have had many of moments in my life where I cried out and complained just like the Israelites. Just like them I failed to trust, just like them I failed to see that it is God who is in control. We all will face moments when we fail to respond to each and every test that comes are way. The embarrassment we feel and the guilt that comes from not responding properly probably teaches us more and reminds us more than anything that yes, it truly is God who is in control.

To give God control, one only needs to let go.

God Bless,
Rob

[robhev]

Romans 5: 12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned—

Probably one of the most asked questions non believers have when it comes to God is "why would an all loving God allow suffering"? Let's face it there are tons of people right now in the world suffering in ways that some of us will never experience in our life time. Everyone suffers at some time in there life. It could be from the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, or a home from fire, wind, or flood, it could be suffering from a disease that has no known cure, some suffer from persecution for there faith, and then there are those who suffer for what appears to be no reason at all. When I think about suffering one of the first things that pops into my head is sin. I mean if you really think about it most of the suffering in the world... not all but most is a direct result of what happened in the garden with Adam and Eve. The bible makes it pretty clear that sin entered the world through one man (ADAM) and because of that one man we are all under the curse of sin and with that curse comes pain and suffering. I wonder how many Hospitals are filled with patience who are basically their because of choices they made? Choices like smoking,drugs,alcohol,not exercising or taking care of themselves, depression, stress the list goes on and on. Then there are those who are in hospitals because of the choices others have made... things like abuse, rape, guns and violence, accidents of all sorts. So much of the suffering that goes on in the world we bring on ourselves and then we have the nerve to ask God why does He allow it. Then there are other instances of suffering, babies who are born sick and dieing, people getting cancer who try to live healthy lives, people dieing when they seemed like they had so much life yet to live, the list goes on. All these things bring suffering and all these things can leave us asking where is God... doesn't He care? Let me just say that Yes!!! He does care and Yes He does know what your going through. One of my favorite stories from God's word has to be the story of the death of Lazarus it's found in John 11. Lazarus was a good friend of Jesus and he was sick. Jesus knew that Lazarus was sick because Mary and Martha had sent a servant to tell Him. They're message was simple "Lord, the one you love is sick." in verse 5 we learn that after Jesus had received word that Lazarus was sick he stayed where he was for 2 more days. I wonder what Mary and Martha thought during those 2 days? I wonder if they stood by the window of the house in desperation looking out to the horizon just hoping and praying that Jesus would come walking into view? I'm sure that as each hour passed and Lazarus got sicker and sicker they're desperation grew more and more each time they looked out the window... but still no Jesus. And then it happened Lazarus dies and four days later Jesus shows up and the first one to meet him is Martha and immediately she asks in verse 21 Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Now I would have probably said it more like this. God why did you allow this to happen... you could have stopped this...why didn't you stop this? So why didn't Jesus stop this man from dying... why did he let it come to this? He loved Lazarus, he was a close friend. Jesus healed others why not his friend? Well to get that answer you have to go back to when Jesus got word that Lazarus was sick in verse 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." according to this verse Jesus allowed it all to happen for one reason and one reason alone. So that God would be glorified through it all. It's funny how much of an impact is made on our lives when we go from a really low point to a very high point in an instant. How we can seem so small and insignificant, so stressed and heavy burdened, and God can feel so distant from us and in a split second we see Him working and so noticeable in our lives that we can't help but be drawn closer to Him than ever before because more than ever we know He cares for us. Jesus knew that Lazarus was going to die but he also knew that death wasn't the end, He knew what was going to happen next, that He would raise him from the dead. Want another example of suffering just go back to the time of Moses and see how God moves in lives all for His glory. God raised Pharaoh up and gave him so much power for one reason alone it's found in Exodus 9:16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. Pharaoh was allowed to torment the Israelites, to break them, to punish them, to teach them a lesson. God allowed him to get so big in the eyes of all in Israel that when He knocked him down it was awesome in there sight and Israel praised God for it. God knows when we hurt, and when we hurt He hurts to. Notice how Jesus felt in John 11:33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. He was not only upset at the loss of his friend but he was also moved because they were upset. He felt there pain and he was troubled by it. And then their is verse 35 Jesus wept. You can't get any clearer than that. He saw there sadness, he felt there pain and He wept. It's nice to know that we serve a God that feels for us, who is not only Lord of our lives but also a loving Father. He truly does want whats best for us. The problem is a lot of the time we think we know whats best for us and we try to go it our own way and that's when the problems start... that's when the suffering begins. When we make the wrong choices God allows a little suffering to teach us lessons. It's not that He wants to hurt us but He will teach us and nothing helps us remember more than pain and suffering. So does God allow suffering?... Yes. Is He the cause of it? Not always. Sometimes we bring it on ourselves and we deserve every bit of it when were going through it. One last thing lets not forget that God Himself allowed His own Son to suffer and die for us so that we could be saved from eternal suffering. The suffering He put His own Son through was mandatory for our salvation. If He was willing to punish His own son for our sins how much more us when we get out of line. So the next time your in the midst of suffering ask yourself if it's because of something you did and if it is repent of it. If it's because of something someone else did forgive, and if you have no clue as to why your suffering ask God for wisdom and seek to glorify Him through it.

Hebrews 4:14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

[Bob]

I think it's a very important time to point out that Satan exists as well. Just as much as God is for us, Satan is against us.

God is good. Satan is evil.

Simple, but revolutionary.

[Janiene22]

Look at it like a test of faithfulness to God that no matter what a person may go through we still have to follow God.

I agree, and also just repeately God loves them abundantantly and there is nothing they can or say will stop it, and maybe they will realize that all along God never caused any of it.

[Ric]

Let me just say, thinking of those situations in a postive light is nearly impossible. As one who has been through those experiances, saying "Oh well, it's just something God put us through to make us better" is ridiculous. God doesn't cause someone to rape us so that we can grow closer to him, that doesn't even make sense. However, God did give us free will and some people choose to shame that and disgrace humanity.

So Tom, speaking from personal experiance this is what I would say..

It is ok to be angry with God, God doesn't mind when you are upset with him because you don't understand, at least you are trying to work with him in some way and not just walking away. God did not want this for you, he did not want this to happen to you. Yes it hurts that he did not stop it, but the person who did this to you, is the person who made the choice, God cannot control our actions, that person did that through their own free will. However, there is hope. God can use, what the world does to us to help us grow. If you choose to lean on God he will carry you through this process, he will not abandon his beloved. Allow him to pull you through this situation as well as those who love you.

that's my oppinion

WOW. That goes right to the heart.

[red_converse]

I think it's a very important time to point out that Satan exists as well. Just as much as God is for us, Satan is against us.

God is good. Satan is evil.

Simple, but revolutionary.

James has a great point.

If we tell a person that God puts us through those times for our benefit, a person who doesn't know God won't understand that. God will seem cruel and horrible and frightening and unfair. (One question I would ask a believer, though, is where it says God has to be fair. He is just, but I think we confuse that with fairness. If God were fair, we would all be in Hell without a chance.)

Focusing on some positive things is good, though. Why is it that people are so easy to point a finger at God when things go south but take credit themselves when things are going well?

We live in a fallen world that isn't what God designed. God intended for Creation to be good and pleasing. In one of my classes, we had gone through 3 reasons for suffering as seen in Job: 1) for our growth, 2) for others' growth, 3) I'm a little fuzzy on this one, but I'm pretty sure it's for God to show His glory in our lives. And it's not too difficult to understand #1 and maybe even #3, but #2 is something that's like "whaaa?"

Maybe the person's suffering will be able to reach others someday. God takes a hold of my past and makes it destiny. This is redemption. I've gone through some pretty atrocious things, and just one of these things can be enough to deeply traumatize a person for life, but somehow God has enough faith in me to put them all in my life. It's amazing the faith He has in me.

God keeps our tears and weeps with us and probably weeps more deeply than we do.

There's no easy answer for this one. Affirm that the act committed against them was an atrocity, and give them the ultimatum: are they going to wallow in self-pity or are they going to get up and keep moving forward and overcome this time so that it doesn't have power over them? Affirm that God is for us as much as Satan is against us, as James said.

And pray for them, for the anger to not have control over them anymore or oppress them. We can't fix the problem or the person, but we can be thankful that God is in the redemption business.

[Ric]

I'd imagine there are a lot of us who go through a Job experience, when catastrophe hits and we lose a loved one, we get mugged and beaten, treated unfairly, etc. Well this thought just hit me... look at WHY Job went through what he went through. GOD BELIEVED IN HIM!!! He was literally bragging to satan about Job's integrity, so much so that He could count on Job to stay true to Him even after all his blessings were stripped away.

Yes, Job hurt. He probably wrestled with the thought of turning his back on God, especially with his friends all trying to flaunt their "expertise" at his expense. Job was human, after all. But I think the real winner in his story was God, because Job pulled through and didn't let Him down, and served to give God more ammo to fire at satan on his day to come.

Looking back, I wish I'd have been less whiny and woe-is-me-ish in my past Job moments . I could've given God a lot of ammo! I guess if I could offer anything to someone who's mad at God due to what's happened to them or their loved ones, I'd hurt with them, yet encourage them to hang on to God with all there is to hang on with. Just like He believed in Job, God believes in us too, enough to SHOW the devil that he can't have us.

[stacfo]

I think one thing that I repeatedly remind myself, and would share with someone suffering and angry at God, would be that He does understand suffering. He gave up the son he loved to be accused, ridiculed, tortured, and murdered. Jesus walked our path. He hungered, he was exhausted, he wept, he smiled, he laughed. There isn't a step that I have taken that he did not experience. There isn't a horror that is worse than the experience of giving up his life, his blood, gruesomely, painfully, horribly for mankind. For a humanity that in no way deserved the gift that was given freely. God isn't to blame for the things that happen to us, but He is there to hold us and carry us through.

[red_converse]

Tom, have you seen Madea Goes to Jail with Tyler Perry? There's one scene where the inmates are sitting in a class, and the lady is talking about forgiveness, that forgiveness is for us and not the other person. When you don't forgive, you give them power over your life. A girl speaks out that she can never forgive her father for what he'd done, and it was his fault she's like that and that she's in jail. Madea points out that she's in jail and her dad's living life.

here's a clip! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFjTwRfrjM4

So while it doesn't quite answer about being mad at God, I think it does help reexamine the situation and the people, and the question of whether or not you'd move on or destroy your life does pose a pretty big impact on a person. I think I finally got the strength to forgive when I realized how much power I let someone have over me by being that angry. And once I'd been able to get through all the ridiculously crazy times, it hits me just how much faith God has in me to be able to give me what He gave me... but this doesn't come cheap, and it likely won't come to non-believers. At least not at the beginning.