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Anger With God

By Vicar Lisa

As I continue journeying my way through the book, Grieving with Hope, I was really impacted by the chapter on Anger with God. I have been told by others that: “It is okay to be angry with God. He has big shoulders. He can take it. Go ahead and let it out.” And honestly, I have done that more than once. But the book points out that although initially, being angry with God may make you temporarily feel better, in the end it doesn’t help you heal. Instead, it harms you.

Many who’ve been through grief will tell you that at some point during their journey they realized they were angry with God. They share moments when, at the height of their pain, they poured out their anger toward God, letting him know exactly how they felt about him taking their loved one. Often people say the experiences were liberating.

These stories are helpful in that they encourage us to be honest with God. A danger of these stories, however, is that they give us the impression that there aren’t any negative consequences associated with being angry with God. But anger with God keeps us from getting to the other side of grief.

Because, just like a child who is angry at his/her parents won’t turn to them for comfort, if we get angry and shake our fist at God, then we can’t receive the comfort God has for us. God can’t wrap arms around us because we are pushing away. When we’re angry with God, we don’t trust God. And when we don’t trust God, we don’t look to God for comfort. Unfortunately, this shuts us off from the genuine care God extends. As a result, we end up stuck in grief, and we don’t heal.

The clearest demonstration of the love of God is the cross. And when we grasp the magnitude of his voluntary sacrifice, we realize that no matter how painful our situation is, God’s care and concern for us are greater.

God gave the beloved Son, to spare us from a hopeless eternity of unimaginable pain and suffering. Therefore, we know God loves us and has our best interest in mind—even if we are allowed to experience unimaginable suffering now.

Larry Crabb, psychologist and Bible teacher, states that we shouldn’t be angry with God because it puts us in a position we should never assume, that of God’s judge. The reason being angry with God is the equivalent of judging him is this: anger with God is the result of an evaluation of God’s actions.

David Powlison explains: “Anger by its very nature says, ‘I don’t like this, that is wrong, this offends me, that hurts me, I wish this wasn’t so.’ It has been rightly called the ‘moral emotion.’ It is the evaluative emotion; it’s the emotion that says, ‘What is happening does not please me.’”

We are encouraged to be honest with God about our emotions. But what do we do when we are angry at God? Do we express it or not? The book suggests that we do but do it in humility. Do it in such a way that you admit you’re angry but with an awareness that you have no right to be. You might talk to God about it this way: “God, I don’t like what’s happened, but I know I shouldn’t be angry with you. You love me, and you proved it at the cross. But I still can’t understand why you allowed my loved one to die. Help me deal with my feelings in a way that allows me to heal but also pleases you.” If you approach God this way, you can know that he is not displeased or upset with you.

How can you be sure? Remember that God’s acceptance of us as Christians has never been based on our aptitude, behavior, or reaction to loss. God accepts us only because of Christ. His death on the cross removed anything that would prevent us from having a relationship with God. In addition, the Bible teaches that no matter how far we fall short, because Christ lived a sinless life for us, God sees us as if we are perfect (Rom. 3:22; 4:24; 2Cor. 5:21).

We enjoy a righteous standing before God. That should give you confidence — confidence to be honest with God about everything because no matter what you tell him, it won’t alter what he thinks of you or how much he loves you. Thanks be to God.

Sunday, 26th Sunday after Pentecost, -- Christ the King Sunday, Nov. 26,

10 a.m. Worship with Communion

Flowers – Flowers are given by Joni Jones for Shelly’s birthday.

Announcements

  • Thanksgiving Day-Before Prep: We need help on Wednesday Nov. 22 to set up the fellowship hall, slice the ham and bag buns. Work will start at 3 p.m.
  • 30thAnnual Community Thanksgiving: Our Community dinner will happen tomorrow! As you have availability, please consider the following schedule. Arrive at 7 a.m. to start warming up the food, start setting up, packing meals for delivery. If you are scheduled to deliver or are willing to deliver, please come starting at 9. Deliveries will continue until noon. Doors will be open at noon for eat-in or pick-up. At 3 p.m., we will stop serving and begin cleanup. We need people committed to help with this activity since we will be housing the unhoused beginning Friday morning, and if the weather takes a turn, possibly Thursday night. Thank you all for your commitment to this amazing effort.
  • Congregational Meeting: Zion’s Church Council is calling a special congregational meeting for 11 a.m. (or after worship) Sunday, Dec. 17, to review and vote on changes to Zion’s constitution and by-laws. The meeting originally planned for Oct. 29 was cancelled due to the weather. Voting members should have received the updated information this past week. Please contact Julie or any other church council member if you have any questions or did not receive the email updates.
  • Coat Drive: We have extended the deadline for collecting coats and warm clothes, and socks for those in need. Please bring to the fellowship hall.

E-formation – 26th Sunday after Pentecost
Nov. 26, 2023

Christ the King Sunday

Hoping to celebrate the lordship of Christ in a world of increasingly secular and non-Christian empires, Pope Pius XI inaugurated a Sunday dedicated to Christ as King in 1925. Originally Roman Catholics celebrated Christ the King on the last Sunday in October, to precede the feast of All Saints, but also to counter the Protestant celebration of the Reformation. When the Roman Catholics proposed the three-year lectionary after the Second Vatican Council, Christ the King was moved to the final Sunday of the liturgical year. The Revised Common Lectionary has retained the festival. Its emphasis on the eschatological majesty of Christ leads well into Advent.

Matthew 25:31-46

Extraordinarily influential throughout the history of Christianity, this parable has often functioned as “law,” the command to care for the neighbor that is bolstered with the threat of hell. As “gospel” we see the parable as affirming the continuing presence of Christ in our midst. The risen Lord is not far away in some heaven but is present around us every day.

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

The passage from Ezekiel was chosen to parallel Matthew’s parable, since it also uses imagery of the king, judge, shepherd, good and bad flocks. Christians have seen in Ezekiel’s promise of a shepherd like David a description of Jesus Christ. This very Sunday we are fed by this shepherd both words we can eat and bread and wine we share.

Ephesians 1:15-23

This prayer and creed were chosen on this Sunday to laud the triune God—the Father of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the spirit of wisdom and revelation—and to affirm faith in the continuing authority of the risen Christ as ruler over everything. We are the saints who receive Christ’s spirit of wisdom; we have been enlightened see Christ’s power at work; we are the body of Christ on earth. Be sure that a skilled reader proclaims this complex reading.

Zion's Lutheran Church

zionsluth@gmail.com

719-846-7785