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RE: Angry with God - 8/18/2008 11:59:23 AM
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mvic
Posts: 1540
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I didn't imply you failed.
What I'm saying is that God does not use us as robots to do His will.
You're angry with him - perhaps with good reason. But at some stage you need to make your peace with Him. The next move is yours as I see it.
What exactly do you want Him to do so that you stop being angry?
I've been praying for you since this thread started.
_____________________________
Christian words of comfort at http://www.holyvisions.co.uk
Welcome to my Blog
MEI VITA INDICO CHRISTUS
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RE: Angry with God - 8/18/2008 12:17:06 PM
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manda59
Posts: 5991
Joined: 9/22/2005
From: Hampshire, UK
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quote:
ORIGINAL: TorchHeart
I DIDN'T FAIL!
AHEM!! You said this yourself!
quote:
And either I failed, or I'm now obsolete
_____________________________
"Once again....drum roll please! Manda is right"
doinkdom, October 2008
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RE: Angry with God - 8/18/2008 12:20:13 PM
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TorchHeart
Posts: 1492
Joined: 6/4/2008
From: One of the coldest places on Earth
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You're right. I did.
I don't know anymore.
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RE: Angry with God - 8/19/2008 10:53:18 AM
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Doc08
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Torch,
I may not be the best one to talk about my image of God these days as I am struggling somewhat too. But, one thing I do believe, God is not capable of evil or malice. God is the manifestation of love and light (read 1 John) and he is not out to get anyone. We don't understand the big picture (preaching to myself here, too) but He does. He does get disappointed and grieved with us at times; he does allow us to face consequences of our actions (both good and bad); he does allow Satan to test us (Job) but all is with our best interest in mind. As much as I fail as a parent, I know that all I do is to try to help my children grow up strong, healthy, happy, and spiritually grounded. My love for them does not compare to God's love for me...and you. He is infinitely more capable of looking out for my best interest because he already has provided the victory. I pray that you will begin to see this. If you can begin to entertain the idea, you might see some relief from your anguish as well.
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RE: Angry with God - 8/20/2008 9:16:56 AM
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dawnofthemorning
Posts: 200
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i have failed so many times myself with my walk, and to me, it is very dangerous to allow people in my life right now who claim to be a christian but will not show me the way, we all need help with our walk as a community, not just fellowship alone with God, but someone who can hold us up and walk with us as well, well, i never had that in my life and because of that, i have been lead astray many many times and still lived in sin, but to my demise, I'm still scarred from all of the things that happened in the past, so now, my past is haunting me and all of the people who like to ridicule one another, even Christians never made it any easier. I cannot even talk to pastors about what happened to get some advice and that is bad, because now i feel like i have no one to turn to for guidance....and that is why I get angry with God sometimes, because of this hideous life style Ive come accustom to.
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RE: Angry with God - 8/20/2008 12:39:38 PM
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Doc08
Posts: 8
Joined: 8/15/2008
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I was talking with a trusted friend the other day and she offered me some wisdom that I have had some time to ponder now. I echo what Dawn said above about needing other believers to strengthen us and hold us accountable. That is why God instituted the Church. Now, having been in churches and with church people who have hurt us, we all may look at that word and cringe a bit. But, here's where my friend's words are ringing true for me. Because the Church is made up of fallen creatures (i.e. US), there will be difficulties that we experience from time to time. Even pastors are still sinful human beings. The walk they have is between them and God. Hopefully, that is something that they (and we) hold in highest regard and guard it well, but when they don't, they will fall. What happens when we fall? Someone usually gets hurt. Either ourselves or someone else. That is where God's picture of love and forgiveness come in. We have to look not at our own hurts or even at the one who hurt us, but at the One who has redeemed us. We must follow his example in saying, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Hard to do? Absolutely. Done quickly? Usually not. Necessary? For the benefit of the harmed, positively. Unforgiveness eats at us, not the perpetrator of wrong. I am learning, not there yet, but learning how the truth of this is at work in my own life. I encourage you to think about how you can forgive and begin to work on finding a community of believers to build back that trust. Will you be hurt again? Maybe, that is the risk of relationship. Will it be worth it? Probably, because we are created as social beings we need each other and the benefits of relationship are often much greater than the risk. You notice, no absolutes, because we have no guarantees except that God is with us in the struggle. I don't know if this will encourage you, but I hope it does. Don't give up. We live in a fallen world and worship in a fallen church redeemed by the blood of Christ. If we look to His strength, we can be restored.
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RE: Angry with God - 8/20/2008 2:38:44 PM
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Knolt
Posts: 157
Joined: 2/13/2007
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Torch, over the years i've found it's not a sin at all to be honest with God on how you feel about things. I used to think it was a sin, but I don't anymore. It sounds like Torch that you've also had a lot of pressure to be a "good little Christian" as i have in years past. You were probably told in so many words that it is sinful to set boundaries with others. am i right? like me, have you also been told it was sinful to get angry in your trial? I have. right now i pretty much let my "bad" attitude fly. that's where i'm at right now in this journey.
Yours in Christ,
Knolt
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RE: Angry with God - 8/20/2008 11:58:59 PM
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TorchHeart
Posts: 1492
Joined: 6/4/2008
From: One of the coldest places on Earth
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All I asked from God was simple. All I wanted, honestly came from my heart. I'm not a bad person.
Why does it have to feel like torture all the time? I had one simple prayer. That's all. I don't know if I'm really mad with God anymore or not. Even I have to admit that He has answered a LOT of prayers for me. All I wanted was just this one. I just feel like I've been betrayed again by someone, and I know this isn't God's fault. I just want answers from Him. I want to know why he's let some of the things happen that He has. And maybe that will come in time.
I thank you all for the time you've put into this.
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RE: Angry with God - 8/21/2008 9:31:36 AM
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dawnofthemorning
Posts: 200
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torchHeart, i know exactly how you feel, I'm still asking myself the same question as to why God allowed the things that I have done to happen, is it generational or is it something else, because for a long time, i had someone practicing black magic against me without even knowing it at the time or what it even was, i know i came to Jesus because i wanted him and he was calling me to him, but at the same time, while living with my brother, his wife and child, I was accused of doing something that would harm my nephew, who at the time was only three....so i could not stay there anymore, but when i got my own place, that is when the enemy started attacking me, when i was living alone and had no one to confide in, accept try to deal with family problems at the time, but I still stayed in the word, i would sit on my bed and read the word out loud and watch TBN....and i never really asked for much from God, but just that he be there fore me, and forgive me of my sins......so i know how you feel, its a horrible feeling when you cannot tell he is there or even listening to you...so what i do is listen to his word to get to know him, i have always wanted someone to share the word of God with me, to even read it to me, but now that i have it on CD I do not long for that anymore, except, I can not talk to the person one on one and ask questions.....
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RE: Angry with God - 8/22/2008 12:28:37 AM
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Thessa
Posts: 811
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quote:
ORIGINAL: TorchHeart
What does one do when they're angry with God to the point where they don't even feel like praying to Him? For quite some time now, I've dealt with this. I hate many things that he's brought down into my life, and I'm almost at the point where I think He finds this funny or enjoys making life difficult and/or painful for me. Its come to the point where some nights I lay in bed thinking about things that have happened to me over the past decade or so. I think about dreams that have been crushed, people who have hurt me and never paid for it, stress that I've been put under, areas where I've been treated unfairly or seen friends/family hurt by others where I couldn't do anything... and just tell God how much I hate Him. I know that its wrong to do that, and I always ask for forgiveness afterwards. I try to forgive other's but the memories and feelings always come back. its like I can't get rid of the anger towards them, and that leads towards more frustration towards God?
What pleasure does God get from this? Does God know how angry I am towards him, and does he understand why or even care? Is He making me like this for a reason? How do I deal with this anger towards God?
Why are you blaming God for the negativities in your life? Why not just look towards Him for answers instead?
There are negative forces everywhere and it sounds to me like you are letting them get to you, and if you continue it will lead you even further away from the only one that can help you.
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RE: Angry with God - 8/22/2008 3:07:49 AM
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BibleL7
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Guess as usual my post was iggied or even laughed at but then Hey thats why I spend hours reading all these posts. Anyhow from your original post and some since you do seem to have a problem forgiving others which is one thing you do need to deal with. The good part is when one is born again they have the Holy Spirit to help them in getting through things and forgiveness. And contrary to what a lot of people think, unless the person is in your life now, is a brother or sister in Christ, and has repented then you do not have to tell them they are forgiven or confront them and then forgive.
As for the loving caring God that only wants whats best for you, I dont know what Bible you have been reading but hey let me know I need another version to add to my collection. And dont give me verses out of context either. One thing has been left out of this thread entirely and that is that God chastens those He loves. So, TorchHeart and others a good start is to do some real soul searching and lots of prayer to see if it is chastening or trials. If chastening then you have something you need to repent of and move on, and learn the lesson you are supposed to learn. If there is sin you need to confess then confess it and if part is consequences of sin then ask Him for help getting through. You may still have a lot of problems to deal with and hurt but He is there with you, you do not have to go through it alone.
If it is trials and testing then you need to keep in prayer and keep to His Word and let it be your guide. If you dont know the Scriptures it is good to learn them. As to the person that said you dont need hit upside the head with Scriptures and that Scriptures got you here that is a complete and total lie. It is usually lack of knowledge of Scriptures that causes problems. Though I will probably agree that some Scriptures posted do not apply, but then to know which ones do would mean more detail to be known and only each of us can look up what we need to help us. And you might look to find a Pastor to talk to for we have but one high priest and that is JESUS. He paid the price He is the one we confess to, He is the only intercessor between God and man.
As for the church being the place to find people to help us and for us to help BINGO give that person a prize. problem is a lot of churches are not Bible believing so to find these churches you some times have to search for a while. It is only through brothers and sisters in the Lord that we can have fellowship and get encouraged when we need and to encourage when others need it. Too many socalled christians are only looking at surface and not caring for others. This too is sin yet the church is full of sinners, as I said previously.
And as to the bruised reed and smoking flax perhaps that is a scripture that is so far away from the situation it is not funny. That refers to people who have very little belief or faith and dont really have knowledge of the Lord. We as believers and followers of the Lord will be put through trials to test our faith and strengthen us. And you better believe there will be a whole lot of pain of heart in there. That is what builds character, read James and Peter. And look at Paul and what he suffered then look at your situation and ask have you suffered as much as they or as you really deserve to?
As for the predicting the outcome of a situation as you seem to think things can only go the way you think well that is why James tells us to stop that and say if the Lord wills. Trying to guess an outcome of anything is just plain aggravating your anger. It is causing you to needlessly get angry when you are not sure what will happen or how someone will react. Perfect example is a brother who was arrested for DV he was predicting out come of loosing his job, a long court battle with only a public defender. Possibly jail time or prison and high fines. Well I went with him to court and he was sentenced to Jail time suspended, minimal fine, and anger management. No Felony charge, was only Misd. did not affect his having his job, in fact he was welcomed back. Yet for weeks he has stressed about this and that and what ifs. These are things we need to turn over to the Lord and trust Him to help us through, not necessarily out of. So you DONT KNOW what will happen so dont stress about it PRAY about it.
And as for wanting answers from God nope sorry not gonna happen. Read the Book of Job. Ya see God does not have to answer us it is we that need to answer to Him. He created us. The clay cannot say to the potter why have you made me thus. As you read Job you will notice that God never told Job why he was allowed to suffer, we may assume that for the book was written by someone but it is not necessarily Job who had to write it. Abraham and Joseph did not write theirs parts in Genesis, yet their thoughts were written. God is All-Mighty and Ruler of all, He made the rules as well as every thing else. It is we that will have to answer to Him. He already answered us with the work on the cross and that all things work for the good for those who are in Christ Jesus. We may not think they work for good but then we do not know all things and many times people have found out years later that when God said NO to their prayer it was for their best. We may or may not find out why in the future but when we are with the Lord we will. So if you wish to continue to be mad at God you are the one that is hurting.
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RE: Angry with God - 8/26/2008 4:28:53 AM
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Lrenee
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Joined: 8/26/2008
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It is God's desire to lift up, embrace, glorify, and extol his love, encouragement, blessing, thoughfullness, faitfulness, and mercy upon you. Why? Because in healing you, He experinces the ultimate relationship with you as you open up your heart, and pour out your soul to Him. We are His children made for having a relationship with Him. Our love towards Him makes Him happy. It warms His heart. Why would He do anything else to elicit any other response other than your pure love and devotion? He wants you to worship Him. In worshipping Him you will experience a union that will edify and glorify Him. He wants nothing short of this with you. So He will never do anything to destroy you or your love relationship with Him.
It's without question we have seen the human side of weakness and error, of judgement and condemnation, of betrayal and of abandonment from those who have went to church, read their bibles and prayed. Often shaped by our earliest encounters with those who are supposed to love God and teach us how to love Him we either recoil in fear and loathing or we stretch our arms out to the One who is able to hold us. Think back to your earliest impressions of who God was and what He meant to you? Are those memories pleasant? Or are they dreadful images?
Every Christian has struggled with your dillema. It is our quest to relieve the ache, the pain that exsists. We think if we can get His attention maybe just maybe He will answer. Even job questioned God in his sufferings. But questioning without faith can be very harmful toward our faith as it can border on accusation which will alienate us from the very answer we need to end the suffering and instead set us up to argue our position instead of being open to God's answer and what we should do in response to the suffering we are facing.
If God is truly for us, in our corner, as the bible says, then why would He turn against us?
I am a pastor's daughter. I grew up feeling what you have. I ran from God angry at Him for allowing things to happen in my life that I had no control of at that time. I turned my back on Him and walked away. I won't go into great detail, only to say that I have been very far from God that most christians have never gone before, and I sought to tear God's kingdom down. That's how dark my heart became. Nine years ago, I was alone in my living room and the Spirit of God gripped my heart and cried out. I was set against Him, but He would not let me go. And there I knelled on the floor, sobbing in shame for the things that I had done out of my anger towards Him. He sought me! And loved me. What a wonderful Father! Had God left me to my own devices I woudl have destroyed myself. But instead God loved me and showed me kindness and showed me how to get back up and to learn to walk again. I've learned alot over the years. I am still learning. And still I grapple from time to time with the impressions that others planted in my early youth about who God is. But I am still learning to replace those bad images with images of a God who cares. And still asking God to forgive me for not knowing who He really is from time to time. It's a lifetime journey. But we have a lifetime to get to know Him if we will. Get to know Him today. He wants to know you and He wants you to know who He really is. Will you let Him?
< Message edited by Lrenee -- 8/26/2008 5:38:48 AM >
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RE: Angry with God - 8/26/2008 9:42:14 AM
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dawnofthemorning
Posts: 200
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Lrenee
It is God's desire to lift up, embrace, glorify, and extol his love, encouragement, blessing, thoughfullness, faitfulness, and mercy upon you. Why? Because in healing you, He experinces the ultimate relationship with you as you open up your heart, and pour out your soul to Him. We are His children made for having a relationship with Him. Our love towards Him makes Him happy. It warms His heart. Why would He do anything else to elicit any other response other than your pure love and devotion? He wants you to worship Him. In worshipping Him you will experience a union that will edify and glorify Him. He wants nothing short of this with you. So He will never do anything to destroy you or your love relationship with Him.
It's without question we have seen the human side of weakness and error, of judgement and condemnation, of betrayal and of abandonment from those who have went to church, read their bibles and prayed. Often shaped by our earliest encounters with those who are supposed to love God and teach us how to love Him we either recoil in fear and loathing or we stretch our arms out to the One who is able to hold us. Think back to your earliest impressions of who God was and what He meant to you? Are those memories pleasant? Or are they dreadful images?
Every Christian has struggled with your dillema. It is our quest to relieve the ache, the pain that exsists. We think if we can get His attention maybe just maybe He will answer. Even job questioned God in his sufferings. But questioning without faith can be very harmful toward our faith as it can border on accusation which will alienate us from the very answer we need to end the suffering and instead set us up to argue our position instead of being open to God's answer and what we should do in response to the suffering we are facing.
If God is truly for us, in our corner, as the bible says, then why would He turn against us?
I am a pastor's daughter. I grew up feeling what you have. I ran from God angry at Him for allowing things to happen in my life that I had no control of at that time. I turned my back on Him and walked away. I won't go into great detail, only to say that I have been very far from God that most christians have never gone before, and I sought to tear God's kingdom down. That's how dark my heart became. Nine years ago, I was alone in my living room and the Spirit of God gripped my heart and cried out. I was set against Him, but He would not let me go. And there I knelled on the floor, sobbing in shame for the things that I had done out of my anger towards Him. He sought me! And loved me. What a wonderful Father! Had God left me to my own devices I woudl have destroyed myself. But instead God loved me and showed me kindness and showed me how to get back up and to learn to walk again. I've learned alot over the years. I am still learning. And still I grapple from time to time with the impressions that others planted in my early youth about who God is. But I am still learning to replace those bad images with images of a God who cares. And still asking God to forgive me for not knowing who He really is from time to time. It's a lifetime journey. But we have a lifetime to get to know Him if we will. Get to know Him today. He wants to know you and He wants you to know who He really is. Will you let Him?
I TOO DID THE SAME EXACT THING AS YOU, BUT I STILL FEEL FAR AWAY FROM GOD AND I STILL PRAY AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS, EVEN AFTER I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT JESUS NEVER WANTED ME AND THAT I WAS SUPPOSSED TO SERVE THE ENEMY...........I FEEL AS THOUGH I AM IN A CONSTANT SPIRITUAL BATTLE DAY AND NIGHT AND I DO NOT LIKE THIS FEELING OF BEING ABANDONED BY GOD OR JESUS, AND I TOO ACCEPTED HIM AT AN EARLY AGE AS WELL, 13 OR 14, BUT NOW BEING 35, AND LIVING WITHOUT HIM, LIFE IS SO HARD TO BEAR.....EVEN THOUGH MY HEART DREW DARK, GOD NEVER PURSUED ME TO DRAW ME BACK TO HIM..
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RE: Angry with God - 8/26/2008 10:32:19 AM
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rp1
Posts: 6
Joined: 8/26/2008
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Hi. I'm new to the forum. I touched on this subject a little in Chapter 10 of my new book, The Science and Myth about Genesis Chapter 1, published by Xulon Press. (See the website http://rpreitz.tripod.com/ )
I realize that this has little to do with science. But as a Christian, it seems to me that we are sometimes angry with God because we expect Him to do something for us or someone that we love. We have all heard the preachers who say that God is in control of everything and that nothing can happen that isn't God's will. Well, that's not true...at least from my understanding of things. It seems that God gives up some control of things, so that we creatures can exercise free will. Exercising free will means that we can choose to do good or evil, love or hate, and be virtuous or wicked. God is a God of love. He wants us to love Him back and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We couldn't very well do that without free will. Its existence is a prerequisite before we can choose to love.
But by its very nature, free will provides the very means whereby we can choose to NOT DO God's will. We can choose to reject Him. You see, even God doesn't always get everything that He wants...and He's God! He breathes power. He speaks and things come into existence. Yet, even He is sometimes angry and frustrated. The Bible is replete with many accounts of when He was angry with the Israelites. God would have that all men be saved. Yet, our Lord Jesus Christ said that narrow is the way into the kingdom and wide is the path to hell. Not all men will be saved. (1 Timothy 2:4) Yet not all men will be saved. (Matt 7:13-14) Hence, we must conclude that God doesn't always get what He wants.
Now, no servent is greater than his Master. We are not greater than God. So how can we suppose that by merely becoming Christians that somehow God will give us everything that we want? God is not a genie that comes out of a bottle to grant us our wishes.
Now, please do not misunderstand me. I'm not saying that God can't answer prayer or bless us. In my own experience, He has answered plenty of my prayers and has blessed me immensely. But even so, I recognize...and I think that we must, when we become mature Christians recogize that God doesn't owe us anything. God doesn't owe me a nice house...or a good job...or a beautiful wife...or lots of money. He doesn't owe us anything.
Isn't it enough that God Himself takes enough interest in us to come down here to Earth, take on human form, to teach us how to treat each other better than we would if left to our own devices... and then take on our sins by dying for us on a cross? Isn't it enough that He gives us eternal life? In the grand scheme of things, the trials and tribulations of this life are trivial when compared to eternity with Him. Eternal joy. Eternal love. Does He also owe us happiness on Earth? Does He also owe any of us a living? Does He owe us anything?
Before we get angry with God, it may be helpful to consider these things. What do you think?
Ron Reitz
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RE: Angry with God - 8/26/2008 10:58:06 AM
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rp1
Posts: 6
Joined: 8/26/2008
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By the way, please don't get the mistaken impression that I don't care about your feelings. I do. We have all been where you are. We ask for God to answer a prayer and it doesn't happen...at least, not when we want it and how we want it. Life is full of joy and pain, happiness and sorrow. It is bittersweet.
I had the bad experience of caring for a very sick wife for a number of years. I do not know why God sometimes miraculously heals one person but not another. I felt the anquish and pain at the loss of my wife...my best friend and lover. Caring for her for several years before she finally died took its toll on my body and my mind. But I don't blame God. I know that He has reasons for why He does things. He doesn't owe me anything. He didn't owe Mary a restoration of her body to health...although that will actually happen on ressurection day.
Anyway, my point is that I sense the anquish and frustration that you may feel. But even so, He doesn't owe us. Nor did He intend for us to live in the world that we live in now. It was not His plan for man to sin...for us to live in this fallen world.
In this world filled with joy and pain, perhaps the pain/anguish/frustration can at least make us appreciate those times when we can be happy, have the joy of loving and being loved...to find comfort in being able to sit back and just enjoy the good things that we see in the character of some good people whom we are priviledged to be able to call 'freind'. There are things in this world that we Christians can take delight in. Hopefully, they are the same things that He takes delight in. You know, that's the basis of friendship...similar interests. (See C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves).
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RE: Angry with God - 8/26/2008 11:49:07 AM
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deermousie
Posts: 1857
Joined: 9/26/2007
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Dancre You're going by what you feel, not by who He is or by what His word says. His word has all your answers. Trust in His word, not what you feel. When you go by what you feel, you're assuming God doesn't care, when His word says He does care. Go straight to the horse's mouth, so to speak. Don't assume, know.
kim
This is superb advice - it's what I often find when I struggle with something (sometimes for years). I hate it when DH points it out, and then I realize he's right. The worst bad news is better than a lie, because bad news means something wrong can be fixed, but lies can go on for years, hurting us and leaving us no way out. So grab God's Word and hang on to it in the hurricane of your life, because it's the only sure thing. And rejoice that God loves you and you're going to heaven, where there is no sin or sorrow forever! Ask God what He wants you to learn, and start rejoicing in your trials because He said to (James 1:2-4, 1 Pet 1:6-9, Rom. 8:28,29 and get a death-grip on the promise in Ps. 84:11). I am praying for you today. (((Hugs)))
_____________________________
Want to know where a certain word or phrase in the Bible is found? www.biblegateway.com Yay!
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