7 Lessons from Job: Is It Wrong to Be Angry at God? – Part 3
The Biblical story of Job illustrates the problem of undeserved suffering.
In that case, what lessons can we learn from Job’s experience to assist us in our times of suffering?
A Quick Look:
Lesson 1)
God does not cause bad things to happen; however, He allows bad things to happen.
Lesson 2)
We can question and complain to God. We can ask “Why God?”
Lesson 3)
We can express our negative feelings toward God.
Our feelings are real, even though our perceptions may be incorrect.
A Recap of the Book of Job
Job’s story appears to be set in Patriarchal Age, the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel).
Job lives in the land Utz’, also called Edom, so named after Esau, also called Edom, who was the twin brother of Jacob (Israel). (Genesis 36:1-8)
Horrible loss and seemingly undeserved suffering come upon Job.
When Job’s friends blame his suffering on his sin, Job declares he has not sinned.
Job believes (as do all his friends) that the suffering comes from Elohim.
Therefore, Job becomes angry with God for doing him this evil.
YeHoVaH speaks to Job. However, He does not tell Job Why all this happened to him.
In the end, God restores Job’s relationships and Job’s losses, with a double portion.
7 Lessons We Can Learn From Job’s Experience For Living Through Bad Times (Including a Pandemic) – Part 3
The problem of loss and suffering can be seen today in the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
But when “bad things happen to good people,” can “good people” get angry at God?
Is It Wrong to Be Angry at God?
Robert Hampshire writes,
While the emotion of anger is a natural response and even seen in Jesus himself, it means that it is not a sin by itself.
Is it Wrong to Be Angry with God? by Robert Hampshire
As I was researching the question of anger and other negative emotions toward God, I found those who made a seemingly simple semantic distinction:
Is it wrong to be angry with God?
versus
Is it wrong to express anger toward God?
According to John Piper:
… being angry at God is never right. It is wrong – always wrong – to disapprove of God for what he does and permits.
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:25)
It is arrogant for finite, sinful creatures to disapprove of God for what he does and permits. We may weep over the pain. We may be angry at sin and [s]atan. But God does only what is right.
“Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments” (Revelation 16:7).
But many who say it is right to be angry with God really mean it is right to express anger at God. When they hear me say it is wrong to be angry with God, they think I mean “stuff your feelings and be a hypocrite.” That’s not what I mean. I mean it is always wrong to disapprove of God in any of his judgments.
Is it Ever Right to Be Angry at God? by John Piper 10 16 2020
I agree that there is a difference.
But I see Piper’s response to the question as being more to a future question I will discuss:
Who Are We Compared to God?
That issue I will address it in a future article.
Therefore, I will rephrase my question to:
Is It Wrong to Express Anger and Negative Emotions To God?
Lesson 3)
We can express our negative feelings toward God.
Our feelings are real, even though our perceptions may be incorrect.
Job’s feelings are real. His emotional reactions to his perception of his situation is valid.
Anger
Job feels anger.
4 “O you who tear yourself in your anger – For your sake is the earth to be abandoned, Or the rock to be moved from its place? Job 18:4 NASB
Hopelessness
Job feels hopeless.
1 “My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished, The grave is ready for me.
15 Where now is my hope? And who regards my hope? 16 “Will it go down with me to Sheol? Shall we together go down into the dust?” Job 17:1, 15-16 NASB
Bitterness
Job feels bitter.
11 “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Job 7:11 NASB
Yes, Job’s feelings are real.
As everyone’s feelings are real.
No one can say another person’s feelings are not real, are not truly being felt by the person.
Anger and Offense
What Is Anger?
And What Makes Us Angry?
Anger is being in an extreme emotional state of upset, disappointment, or frustration with a situation or circumstance that we feel out is of our control, not meeting our expectations, fulfilling our desires, or “it’s just not fair.”
Anger is a normal human emotion. And expressing our emotions is human too.
John Piper:
But when we get angry at a person, we are displeased with a choice they made and an act they performed. Anger at a person always implies strong disapproval. If you are angry at me, you think I have done something I should not have done.
Is it Ever Right to Be Angry at God? by John Piper 10 16 2020
The writer of the article, I’m Angry at God, at Peace With God, says
Anger is a valid reaction to hardship, but when left unchecked, it can lead to hostility or bitterness and eat at you from the inside out. That’s why the Bible says in Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry, and do not sin” — because when we give anger a foothold, it can lead to all kinds of negative thoughts and actions.
Our Perception of Offense
I feel it! How can it not be true?
However, while our feelings are real, our perception of the offending circumstances may be incorrect.
A righteous response of anger depends on the validity of our perception that another person’s action against us was deliberately malignant in intent.
But, at times, the action of the other that offends is without malicious, or even critical, purpose.
We “read” the situation wrong.
We misinterpreted the circumstances.
We misunderstood what they meant by their words.
Leon F Seltzer, in Psychology Today states:
Similar to anger, the reaction of taking offense to what another has said or done is a decidedly moralistic emotion. At the bottom, it’s all about is your feeling treated unfairly. If there’s a single common denominator to taking umbrage at another, it’s that, however implicitly, you perceive yourself as having been evaluated or dealt with unjustly. Another individual has been inconsiderate of you—rude, aggressive, bullying, condescending, or downright shaming. And to you, that’s undeserved—or “just not right!”
How Quick Are You to Take Offense? 10 Powerful Remedies by Leon F Seltzer 3 13 2019
We took offense where none was meant.
(Is it just me, or does this sound like a lot of society today?)
Note, Ken Keis, of Living On Purpose, writes
Allowing yourself to feel offended and angry is your choice.
No one can offend you or make you angry unless you let them.
He continues
Feeling offended and blinding anger are internal reactions perceived to have an external cause.
Are You Easily Offended and Quick to Anger? Here’s Help! by Ken Keis Living On Purpose
Expressing Negative Emotions To and Toward God
However, anger toward YeHoVaH may be unrecognized and unaddressed.
Julie Exline, of Biola, states:
Because anger toward God is often seen as wrong, it makes sense that many of us would have difficulty admitting such feelings to ourselves.
Even if people are fully aware that they are angry, they may be reluctant to disclose such feelings to God. It may seem too dangerous. People make jokes about lightning bolts coming down from the sky; but deep down, we may hold real fears that God will punish us for being angry toward him.
Anger Toward God as a Spiritual Struggle by Julie Exline 10 9 2013
Nevertheless, we can express our feelings to our Father in heaven.
In fact, the Spirit-inspired Word of God shows us examples of expressions of emotions – both positive and negative.
The Word of God models the way He wants us to share our emotions with Him.
All of our emotions.
Scripture, especially the Psalms, are filled with expressions of complaints of anger, despair, hopelessness, persecution, worthlessness, abandonment, bitterness, and more.
The Biblical writers, such as David, were honest about their feelings.
1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your wrath. Psalm 6:1 NASB
1 How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? Psalm 13:1 NASB
We are to be honest too.
Especially, we are to be honest to the Father about our emotions, particularly our negative emotions toward Him.
We are to talk to Him about how we feel about Him, both the positive and the negative.
Hey!
He already knows.
It’s not like you’re really hiding anything here.
God-the-All-Seeing, God-the-All-knowing, sees all and knows all.
So, go ahead.
Vent all your emotions.
Be like Job.
Be like David.
Remember, YeHoVaH can take it.
And when your emotions have been expressed …
When your energy is drained and the fight has gone out of you …
When your venting is finished …
Then, like a toddler after a tantrum, come back to the Father, your Father, with love and praise.
As Doug Britton reminds us:
It’s normal to get angry with God. But as you reflect on who he is, you remember that you can trust in his unfailing love, for he is your savior and your God.
Is It a Sin to Be Angry With God? by Doug Britton
In almost all of his psalms, David ended his complaints, his laments, with praise and thanksgiving to God.
9 The LORD [YeHoVaH] has heard my supplication, The LORD [YeHoVaH] receives my prayer. Psalm 6:90 NASB
5 But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6 I will sing to the LORD [YeHoVaH], Because He has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:5-6 NASB
Yes, we can express our feelings toward God.
Again, from I’m Angry at God:
There’s a difference between wrestling with questions and defiant rebellion against God—between expressing our anger to Him and being angry at Him. The first is perfectly fine and even healthy; the second is not.
John Piper agrees.
… being angry at God is never right. It is wrong – always wrong – to disapprove of God for what he does and permits.
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:25).
Is it Ever Right to Be Angry at God? by John Piper 10 16 2020
Our feelings are real, even though our perceptions may be incorrect.
Just as Job’s perceptions of the source of his circumstances, so too, our perceptions of offense on God’s part may be incorrect.
John Piper, again:
We may weep over the pain. We may be angry at sin and [s]atan. But God does only what is right.
“Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments” (Revelation 16:7).
Is it Ever Right to Be Angry at God? by John Piper 10 16 2020
Consider
Yes, we can express our feelings toward God.
Yes, our feelings are real, even though our perceptions may be incorrect.
So, what do you think?
Is it okay for you to be mad at God?
Anger, and other negative emotions, are normal human reactions.
And we are human.
Let me know in the comments your thoughts on expressing anger, and other negative emotions about God, to God.
Let’s start a conversation.
Blessings,
TLThomas
It’s ok to doubt, if you check it out!
Be a Berean!
10The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Acts 17:10, 11 ESV
Please join me in this journey of discovery.
- Leave a comment, or ask me a question.
- Share this blog with others, whether they are doubting, or not.
- Take what I say and CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF!
Next time, the 7 Lessons From Job will continue with the question:
“Is Everything in the Bible True?”
See also
Is God to Blame For the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Suffering? – Part 1
Can We Question and Complain to God About the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Suffering? – Part 2
Biblical Truth During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Part 4
TLThomas ©2020