Christian Living

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November 8, 2011 – Angry at God

1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry. – Jonah 4:1 AMP

Although Jonah was a prophet, he had some profound issues. His disobedience to God is out there for all to see. He ran from God and His instructions. His running nearly destroyed a ship and almost killed everyone aboard. He was eaten by a fish. I personally think that was one of the most grotesque things I can imagine to happen to a human being and still be alive. Who really likes the smell of raw fish other than those guys from “The Deadliest Catch”? The fact that he spent three days inside the fish gives credibility to the premise that Jonah was not claustrophobic. If he was, then I am quite sure that the story of Jonah inside the fish would have included something about an anxiety attack or even cardiac arrest.

After all of this hoopla, Jonah finally followed God’s instructions. His assignment was Nineveh, now known as the city of Mosul, Iraq. Jonah was to travel to this city and proclaim its destruction. But as wicked as the city was, the people repented and even fasted in hopes that God would reverse His decision. God listened to the people and spared the city from devastation. This made Jonah very angry at God.

Have you ever been angry at God? I have. I remember particularly before I was saved, being angry with Him on several occasions. I would hear of people getting hurt on the job or maybe in an automobile accident. If I knew the people involved and knew them to be malicious individuals, I would think they got what they deserved. Yes, I was that judgmental. I would never grieve for them or their family, and you definitely would not catch me praying for them (or anyone else). I thank God He has changed me in that.

Sometimes we as Christians get so caught up in God vanquishing evil on our behalf that we fail to realize a key ingredient: many times there’s a human life behind the wickedness. Even though Jonah knew that God was sparing the city, he went out of town to see what would happen. How many times have you seen sinful people come to the altar on Sunday morning? What do you do when they answer God’s call? Do you welcome them with open arms as we should welcome all new believers? Are you like Jonah, keeping your distance, thinking that it is only a matter of time before they come crumbling down? Jonah was waiting like a spectator at a sporting event, watching every move, thinking the end of the city would surely come. Do you watch those new believers under a microscope, thinking you can pull out a “See, I told you so!” when they make even the slightest mistake? Distancing yourself from mature believers with sin in their life is Biblical, but doing it to new believers is not and does not show them the love of Christ that all believers should have in them. We should correct all believers in love, not condemn them when they err.

Don’t get me wrong, I think we should all rejoice when we see God prevail. At the same time, I don’t think we should celebrate when people are hurt or lose their life. It’s hard to do sometimes, especially when we all know that those who have perished are living lives displeasing to God. I still have to remember in those situations that God loves everyone as much as He loves me. I know most Christians probably put themselves into one of two categories: we either think we’re God’s favorite, or that we are the lowliest of the low Christians on the planet. Some of us are more accountable to God than others, i.e. pastors, but He loves pastors just as much as He loves the drug addict or the homosexual.

You may be angry at God right now because of your circumstances. You may have lost a loved one. You may have lost your job. You may disagree with something written in the Word. Whatever the case, do you have a right to be angry at Him? When you get angry at God you need to ask yourself some questions. Are you angry at God or are you angry for not getting your way? Are you using your circumstances as an excuse to lash out at God rather than draw closer to Him? If you are like Jonah and irritated about others not being destroyed, why do you lack the love and compassion for the face behind the wickedness? These are all situations in which we or someone we love have been involved. Finding the answers will many times require some soul searching on each of our parts.

The next time you’re angry at God, stop and think for a moment. If the situation were reversed, would you want someone praying for you or would you want them asking God to finish the job? The answer to that one question can provide us with either how much we already know or how much we need to grow. The choice is all yours.

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