God Is Mad at Me and Other Myths Part 2 @tag1>
God's Unwavering Love Amidst Misconceptions @tag2>
Somewhere along the line, we’ve come up with this idea that God is an “angry God.” Worse, some have decided that God is angry at them! Nothing could be further from the truth.
We serve a loving God who, even though He might not like everything we do, never stops loving us. Any belief that God is angry is a myth.
In part one we looked at a couple of the underlying false beliefs that lead people to think God is angry at them. Here are some others that bring so much unnecessary sadness to people’s lives.
My Dad was mad, so God must be too
If someone had an angry father, it is quite natural to view Father God as angry too. Hopefully you are one of the blessed ones who had an awesome dad, but for many, that is not the case.
One of our most urgent needs in life is to feel safe. But children who grow up with angry, absent or abusive fathers often don’t feel safe. They have a feeling of impending doom or danger hanging over them most of the time.
But God is not like people. If your father was absent, you need to know that God will never leave you. If your father was abusive or angry, your heavenly Father wants to give a double reward for your former trouble (see Isaiah 61:7).
No matter how unfaithful your father may have been to you, I urge you to not let it ruin your life. Make a decision to believe that your heavenly Father is faithful and loves you dearly.
God couldn’t possibly forgive me
Satan remembers every tiny thing we have ever done wrong and will do his best to remind us of them every chance he gets. He is vigilant in his efforts to make us cower under the weight of our own shame.
We all sin and come short of the glory of God. No person is without sin, and we all feel guilt at times, but when we keep that guilt long after we have been forgiven it turns into shame. Guilt and shame make us feel that God is angry, and so we withdraw from His presence and don’t live the life God intended for us.
We need to understand that God forgives completely—not partially, or almost, but completely! Take a moment and think of the worst thing you have ever done. Now, realize that you are completely forgiven. The goodness of God is greater than any bad thing we have ever or could ever do. That should bring a sigh of relief and a sensation of joy sweeping through our soul!
God is punishing me
Some people may believe that when they have problems in life it is because God is angry with them for some past sin. I have heard people say things like, “I had a miscarriage and I wonder if God is punishing me for the way I lived in the past.” Statements like this prove that people have an incorrect view of God. He doesn’t punish us for past sins by bringing bad things into our lives.
Our troubles are not a sign that God is angry with us! We are in the world and Jesus said that in the world we would have tribulation. He also told us to cheer up because He had overcome the world (see John 16:33).Staying positive and continuing to believe in the goodness of God during times of trial and tribulation will prevent you from losing your joy. Each difficulty that I have gone through in life has helped me go through the next one better. God is faithful, so continue to rely on Him when times get hard.
God Is Not Mad at You
If it weren’t for the grace of God, He would have to be mad at us because His holiness demands justice for sin. A sacrifice must be made to atone for sin, but because of His grace, He made the sacrifice Himself by offering His Son’s life for ours. Jesus took the punishment that we deserved for our sins, and offers to care for and bless us instead of giving us what we deserve.
When you can begin to fully understand His grace, forgiveness, mercy, and unconditional love, you can know with certainty His attitude toward you is merciful—not angry. I can assure you that no matter what you’ve done in life or no matter how many misconceptions you have about God’s feelings toward you, God will never stop loving you. God is not mad at you!
Read Part 1