Listen up, God!

Even today my complaint is bitter;
    his hand is heavy in spite of my groaning.
If only I knew where to find him;
    if only I could go to his dwelling!
I would state my case before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.  Job 23:1-3

Listen up, God!
By Rev. William Dohle

Every so often, a question comes to me that really makes me think.  That question came yesterday, sitting with a friend as he struggled with life.  The question echoed in my soul, for it is a question that I've wrestled with too.  What is that question?  The man asked me:

Is it alright to be angry with God??

As I struggled with trying to answer that question, I was reminded of the times when I was angry with God.  I have, in the past, struggled with God's inaction in my life.  God can feel so distant sometimes, especially when prayers go unanswered.  Unanswered prayers lead to disappointment lead to frustration lead, sometimes to anger and to times when I've wanted to just cry out against God.

Is it alright to be angry with God??  "Yes it is..." I told him, then I tried to explain.

Anger and disappointment are things we struggle with in life.  We struggle with expressing them to our co-workers and our boss.  We hesitate and wrestle with speaking these words to our loved ones.  And, as for God, we're terrified to express our anger and disappointment with him.

"It must be me God," we tell Him.  "I don't have enough faith.  I haven't prayed hard enough.  I just don't want the right things!"

But speaking words that don't express our emotions betrays the relationship we have with God.  If God is here FOR US and if God is love and grace...then God can take our anger!

Imagine a relationship in which you didn't get angry with them.  Every mistake was your fault.  Every problem yours to bear.  When you asked the person for something and they didn't respond as you thought, your only course of action was to think it was your fault.  You did something wrong to cause their silence.

That would be no relationship worth having!

A relationship involves being happy... and sad...and angry...and grumpy...and loving...and forgiving...and all of that.  A relationship involves a whole rainbow of emotions.  Even anger.  And anger, expressed right, is healthy in a relationship.  Even a relationship with God.

If you want an example of that... look to Moses!  Moses struggled with God.  Wrestled with God.  Moses' relationship with God wasn't dependent upon him.  If it was, Moses would have left a LONG time ago.  No, Moses relationship with God was dependent upon God.  And because of that, Moses was free to be as angry as he needed to be.

"Moses returned to the Lord and said “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me?  Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” Exodus 5:22-23

Can you hear the anger in these words?  Can you hear the hurt, the frustration, and the disappointment?  God SAID he'd rescue his people...and he hasn't at all.

Of course, in retrospect, we can see that God rescuing his people wasn't enough.  He was to show Pharaoh who was God of the heavens and the earth.  In his showdown with Pharaoh(which is what is coming next) God would finally answer for all Israel: "Is our God stronger than Pharaoh?"

But here... in this time with Moses... Moses is angry and disappointed and upset with God!

And... God doesn't care!  God doesn't seem to mind Moses' anger.  He doesn't say: "Hey, buddy, if you had done what I told you, how I told you then you wouldn't be in this mess."  He doesn't say: "Hey, Moses, why didn't you pray to me BEFORE we went to Pharaoh?  It's your own fault!"

God doesn't say either of these to Pharaoh...and he doesn't say it to us too!  God still takes our anger, as he took Moses' anger.  His shoulders are wide enough for your burdens.  His feelings are strong enough for your complaints.

Look at his Word.  Read the Scriptures.  Just about everyone in them struggled with their anger with God...but God loved them just the same.

And he loves you too!

So... let it all out, he can take it!  Write an angry letter to God, read it aloud, and throw it away.  He won't hold it against you.  Take a walk and rail to the heavens.  It's fine.

And after you express your anger, just sit there in the silence that follows.  Sit in the quiet and wait.  God will show up, as He showed up to Moses.  God will speak his words of peace and hope and love into your heart.  God will assure you of His presence and of his grace.  And He will continue to walk with you, even if you're still angry, all because He loves you!

I read about Moses, God, and wonder how you loved him.  And then I think about my own life and wonder the same about me.  Assure me of your love and grace, even as I struggle with expressing my anger and disappointment with you.  Amen.