Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him. When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” -Mark 15:29-34

Many Christians fear that God will punish or eternally damn them if they slip up and say the wrong thing to him. But is this an image of an all-loving God? Would I want such a person as a friend? A spouse? A teacher? A parent? God is not like this at all. If I want a good image of God, I should think of the most loving and compassionate person in my life and imagine God to be infinitely more loving and compassionate. Furthermore, God desires that we have an intimate relationship with him. And because I am human, I naturally will have problems in this relationship. I will get angry with God as I sometimes get angry with my spouse, my friend, my parents and so on.

The Bible is filled with examples of friends of God who at one time or another got angry with him. Sarah cynically laughed at God’s promise that she and Abraham would have a child in their old age. Jacob wrestled with an angel for a blessing. The Israelites in the desert complained about the food. In the New Testament, though Jesus was divine, his best friends often argued with him. Here are a few examples:

“Lord, we have been fishing all day and have caught nothing. Now you’re telling us to go back out there?”

“OK, fine. Let’s go to Jerusalem to die with Jesus.”

“If you had been here, Lazarus would not have died.”

“Do you not care, Lord, that we’re all going to die?”

“Lord, if we have no idea where you are going, how can we follow?”

“If I have to die for you Lord, will your beloved disciple have to die, too?”

And Jesus himself, at the most important moment of his life, shouted at God, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Perhaps the best example of a healthy conflict with God is that of Old Testament hero Job, who for chapters and chapters shook his fist at God. Biblical scholars say that the vocabulary of much of Job’s ranting implies that Job actually wanted to take God to court. He wanted to convict God in a heavenly court of law. When Job made that seemingly beautiful statement, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25), he actually was referring to a heavenly being who could help him to convict God in this celestial trial!

In every one of these examples, God remained faithful and did not condemn the angry follower. At times God fought back, but only when it would help the person to grow. Sarah bore a child and became the mother of the Judeo-Christian world. Jacob got his blessing. The Israelites were given the Promised Land. Peter became pope. And Job, having lost his court battle, was blessed with riches and great wisdom.

So, if you have a beef with God, what are you waiting for? Go after him!

SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE PASSAGES

EXODUS 5: Lord, you have not rescued your people

NUMBERS 11:10-15: Lord, why have you treated me so badly?

Јов 7:11-19: I will complain in the bitterness of my soul

Јов 19:23-27: I know that my Redeemer lives

PSALM 22: My God, why have you forsaken me?

PSALM 88: Lord, my soul is full of troubles

JEREMIAH 20:7-18: You duped me, O Lord

LAMENTATIONS 3: I have seen affliction

JONAH 4: Jonah’s anger at the Lord’s compassion

MARK 4:35-41: Do you not care that we’re going to die?

JOHN 11:1-44: Martha: “Lord, if you had been here…”

HEBREWS 12:5-13: Lift your drooping hands and strengthen weak knees

PRAYER POINTERS

Looking at these various biblical characters, I notice that some of God’s best friends were sometimes furious with him. And they seemed to have no trouble letting God know that they were angry! With this assurance, I go after God. I sit him in the chair in front of me and I let him have it, telling him every little thing that is bothering me about him right now. I hold nothing back and say everything that comes to mind.

If I feel more comfortable doing so, I write God a nasty letter giving him a piece of my mind. Point by point, I spell out all the ways I feel that he has screwed up my life. Again, I hold nothing back.

Throughout my ranting, I imagine God sitting quietly and listening with great care and great love. When I have exhausted myself with all that I’ve had to say, I sit quietly and allow God to respond. I let God say or do anything he wants. Perhaps he will reach out to embrace me. Perhaps he will respond to my particular problems, pointing out his logic. Perhaps he will simply ask me to trust. Perhaps he will yell back! Perhaps he will remain silent and distant.

I respond to God in whatever way feels natural. I may need to yell some more. I may need to melt in his arms. I may need to keep my distance for a while. I may need to ask questions. I allow myself to say or do whatever my heart leads me to do.

If I am really angry with God, there is a good chance that I will have to pray about this for a long time. At the end of each prayer time, I tell God that I love him and accept his will for me in my life and trust that his will is always what is best for me. If my heart cannot say these words right now, I let my own will do the talking for me.

RELATED ENTRIES

Angry, Dry, Grieving, Ministry

WORDS TO TAKE WITH YOU

I chased him until he caught me.

-Anonymous

Dear Lord, if this is how you treat your friends, it is no wonder you have so few!

-Saint Teresa of Avila