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Is It a Sin to Be Angry with God?


Question: Is It a Sin to Be Angry with God?

Ask 10 Christians if it is a sin to be angry with God, and you'll probably get 10 different answers. There are plenty of people in the Bible who were angry with God. Some of them were so blindly angry they brought about God's wrath. Others expressed their anger and God listened. So, the question may not be if it is a sin to be angry with God, but is it a sin to hold onto that anger so tight that it jeopardizes your relationship with God.


Asking God Why

Being angry with God happens. Most of us don't lived charmed lives where everything that happens is wonderful. Each one of us will find ourselves in the center of some tragedy from time to time. It is not so uncommon to ask God why these things happen. Sometimes our anger at the situation can turn to being angry with God. Why does God let these things happen? Why did it happen to me? What did I do wrong? What did I do to deserve this? These are all common questions we ask when bad things happen. Yet, it is how we deal with these questions that makes the difference regarding sin and not sin.

When Anger at God Leads to Better Things

Can being angry with God be good? Well, shaking your fist at God and holding onto anger is not, but asking the right questions and allowing yourself to find comfort in God's answers can lead to a stronger relationship with Him. It comes from your expectations.

Throughout the Psalms, David expresses his anger and frustration with God from time to time, but he doesn't let his anger get in the way of his relationship with God. And just as much as he had angry questions for God, he also found his greatest comfort in God. So, ask the questions. Get on your knees and pray for guidance and comfort.

Instead of letting your anger block God, use your anger to let God in. Tell Him everything. Confide in Him your deepest, darkest fears and concerns. He knows them anyhow. He knows your sorrows and counts your tears. You may never get all the answers, but you may just get the comfort you need.

When Anger at God is Bad

Anger with God can lead to a closer relationship with Him if you allow it. Yet, some of us have a hard time letting go of anger. If you find yourself holding a grudge against God, it can lead you to walk away from Him. Yes, bad things happen. They aren't always from God. Yes, he allows bad things to happen...look at Job who suffered horrors while God watched. Yet, look at what happened in the end. Job was rewarded for his faith in the face of suffering, and the Enemy was defeated.

The tragedies in our lives are horrible, but they happen. We don't have all of God's answers. He may not give us the answers, but He always has a reason and a plan. No, that isn't always the thing we want to hear, but you have to ask yourself, how strong is your faith if you walk away because something bad happens. Life isn't perfect, and God never says it is going to be. While we have to work through our pain, we have to remember that God does have a plan, even if we don't always understand, He is always there for us when we need someone to turn to.

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