Christian Living

---

Darn You, God!
© 2006
by

Stephen A. Peterson


Throughout the history of humankind, stories have been told and written to inform and educate. Some stories are so informative that they have been repeated over and over ago. One such story is Jonah and the whale.

On a very hot Texas afternoon, an uncle took his niece to the beach around Corpus Christi. Although it was very hot, they enjoyed the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico until a one hundred foot wave came and swept the 12 year old child away. The terrified uncle immediately plead: “Oh, Lord! I plead with you to bring my niece back to me! My God, I won’t bother you with any other requests. Just return my niece, please!”

Within a couple of seconds of his prayer, a huge one hundred foot wave came crashing down on the beaches just in front of the bewildered man. When the waters subsided, there lay his niece very wet but unhurt. The uncle frantically went over to see if the girl was injured in any way. He found her to be a little frightened by the whole affair but okay. Instead of giving thanks to God for returning his niece to him unharmed, the uncle shouted: “Hey, Lord! What the heck! When my niece was swept away, she had on a pair of Reeboks shoes worth over $350! Come on, Lord! How ‘bout it! Gimme the shoes back! Darn it!”

The angry uncle took his niece and their boxed lunch home. On the way to his home, a speeding car rammed the uncle’s car causing it to knock the bumper off of the vehicle just ahead of his. Stopping to assess the damage, the uncle responded: “Dang, God! This is the second time today you’ve caused me problems and you’ve almost taken my life on both occasions!”

At the same time, the driver of the damaged vehicle got out of his car and assessed the damage. Rather than admonish God, he said: “Oh, God, Almighty Father, I thank you, that I, my wife and two children were not injured or killed. Lord, you are merciful and good in every way!”

Justin, the second driver, could easily complained and blame God for his misery as the uncle did for briefly losing his niece and being involved in a car accident. Justin could also have said to God—“What a bummer! There is no God or the heck with God! You don’t exist because you don’t do anything for me!”

It is very, very difficult to be thankful to God when tragedy visits. Virtually everyone has expressed anger towards God when He does not come to their immediate rescue or to pull them out of a difficult situation. Humanity seems so ungrateful when God gives a person gifts or restores something lost. Often, rather than give thanks, God receives additional complaints.

Justin, having had a serious accident, could have also admonished God. Except Justin was not angry but thankful. After all, it is difficult to be angry or feel bad when a person give thanks or praise to God.

Therefore, let us all have a cheerful, joyful attitude with life and regarding our circumstance no matter how tempting it is to complain about it. For if you really stop and think about it, God has done more great things for you than you can even begin to imagine!

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE