Anger With God

8/11/2019 Anger With God

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2009 Christianity Today International ChristianBibleStudies.com

Current Issues

L e a d e r s G u i d e

Scr ipture : Job 1 :1319; 2 :79; Psalm 73; 139:2324; Ephesians 4 :2532

B e i n g h o n e s t w i t h G o d i s t h e f i r s t s t e p

t ow ard resolv in g ou r an g er.

HonestAnger

Its a bit scary, but we have to admit the

truth. At times, we get angry with God.

The pink slip comes, even though we were

told layoffs wouldnt happen. God tells us

to move away from family and friends. We

obey and everything falls apart. We grow up

trusting God, but now he seems to have forgottenabout us. Life isnt fair, and we feel its Gods fault.

Anger is an honest emotion, but dare we express it to God Almighty? Is it

okay to be red-faced, spitting mad at God? What happens if we tell him how

we really feel? These are some of the questions well address in this study.
http://www.christianbiblestudies.com/http://www.christianbiblestudies.com/


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A n g e r w i t h G o d

Honest AngerL e a d e r s G u i d e


Part 1 Identify the Current Issue

No te to l e ade r: Prov id e eac h p erson w it h t h e Part ic ip an t s Gu id ein c lu d ed at t h e en d of t h is st u d y.

Monty looks back on his tween years as the beginning of his anger with God. When he

was 12, his family moved away from a small community to a huge city, 250 miles east. Just

about to enter middle school, Monty was excited about transitioning with his friends. But

instead, he had to say goodbye to his comfort zone. His parents explained the move as a step

of faith. God is moving us, they said. Monty decided he didnt want anything to do with

such a cruel God. Now in his 20s, Monty still wonders why God didnt answer his prayers

and let him stay with his friends.

Life throws unfair blows at us. Wonderful people die young. Loving couples are infertile.

Christian marriages end. When we cant understand why, we often let our emotions take

control. Any type of disappointment, loss, or hurt can send us straight into anger

especially if someone tells us, Its Gods will. Like Monty, we blame our sovereign God.

Yet the Bible shows us examples of honest anger. Admitting anger can be the first step

toward healing, as we deal with the losses of life. God isnt afraid of our anger. Hes been

dealing with it since before we were born. In fact, he created us with emotions so we can

express what we feel and not implode. He wants us to be honest with ourselves, with others,

and especially with him. Then hell help us figure out what to do with the messiness of life.

Discussion Starters:

[Q]When was the last time you were angry with God?

[Q]How did you deal with your anger?

[Q]Do you sometimes feel like a guinea pig in a cosmic joke?

[Q]Is it easier to blame God the Father than Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

[Q]What is the reason that most people get angry with God at some time in their lives?


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Part 2 Discover the Eternal Principles

Teaching Point One: Anger is a response to pain.

Any loss, disappointment, or hurt can lead us to anger. We want somebody to pay for the way

weve been treated, but theres nobody to blameexcept God. We think: If he really loved us,

hed do something to make it rightor he would have never allowed it to happen in the first

place.

One particular woman served as an example of honest anger in Scripture. We dont even know

her name or what happened to her after the scene was over. But her drama was intense and

her anger understandable.

She was the wealthy wife of a powerful and faithful man. But one day, a team of marauding

pagans destroyed her husbands livestock and livelihood. The servants were also killed,

except the one who managed to bring back the sad news. In one day, her wealth and the

accompanying power disappeared. She could no longer send her servants to the market for the

best fabric or the most fragrant spices. Everything was gone.

Then, just as she was catching her breath and beginning to deal with the loss, word came that

all her children had been killed in a freak windstorm. Seven sons and three daughters were all

wiped out in one tragic moment.

She was alone in her grief, because her husband refused to blame God. Then he developed

a debilitating skin disease, and she was forced to watch her spouse suffer. Loss upon loss of

livelihood, family, and health. Jobs wife responded with honesty, Curse God and die.

Read Job 1:1319 and 2:79.

[Q]Do you think Jobs wife was justified in her response? Why or why not?

How might she have better expressed her anger?

[Q]Is it better to express anger immediately or to hold it in until we can express itwithout so much emotion?

[Q]How can we encourage our family members to express honest anger?

[Q]Is the expression of anger ever wrong?


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Teaching Point Two: Stored anger can be dangerous.

Think about this statement: Anger is just one letter away from danger.

Angry people make us uncomfortable. Perhaps this is why it is so difficult to express our

anger with God. We dont like feeling uncomfortable, and we certainly dont want to sin

against God.

But repressed anger has been scientifically measured and concluded to be physically

dangerous. One Bible teacher explains the process as hurt > pain > anger > unforgiveness >

bitterness > death. The resulting death may be emotional, but also physical, as several bodily

organs can be affected by the stress of anger. One type of emotional death is when we cant

be honest with God, and we feel the pain all the way to our souls.

God created us with a built-in thermostat to keep us from storing anger. He knew we would

need to release the pressure. Since we are made in his image, we use him as our example.

God is comfortable expressing honest anger. One Bible concordance records 76 references

to the Lords anger. Somehow Gods anger seems justified, because he is perfect. But we are

sinful, so we may not feel the same justification in expressing our anger to the God who has

allowed pain into our lives.

Read Psalm 73.

Asaph, one of the choir directors in Israel, wrote this psalm. He expressed his frustration and

anger because wicked people prospered. They have no struggles, Asaph wrote. Always

carefree, they increase in wealth. Asaph wasnt afraid to admit that he struggled with the

inequities of life. Only at the end of the psalm did Asaph resolve the dilemma. He looked at

eternity and saw God in control.

[Q]Why is it so scary to be honest with God?

[Q]Do you feel better when you express anger, or does expressing anger just feed yourinner rage?

Author Mark Littleton addresses the problem of anger at God in his book Big Bad God of

the Bible: Is God Really a Bully?(Living Ink, 2008). Littletons character quips, God is great

at dodging questions, concerns, details, whatnot. He just sails along blithely like nothingswrong, and then someone dies, or gets judged, or is thrown out of the coop.

[Q]Do you agree with Littletons character? Does God dodge your honest questions? Ishe a bully? Explain.

[Q]How do you keep from storing anger?


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Optional Activity:Make a list of all the situations or circumstances that make you angry.Circle the ones that represent anger with God.

Share these with your group and discuss how you might resolve the anger. Is it something you just

have to live with by faith, or is there help in Scripture or that someone in the group can give?

Spend time praying for each other as you deal honestly with these issues. Read Psalm 51:6 together.

Teaching Point Three: Let yourself be honest.

Listing the things that make us angry toward God seems almost blasphemous. We wonder if its

okay to express what were feeling. Yet the Bible gives us many examples of people who struggled

with God. Asking God, Why? is really a plea for God to explain himself and take away the

hidden anger we feel. Read Ephesians 4:2532.

The apostle Paul taught the Christians in Ephesus about the importance of being honest.

Speak truthfully he wrote. In your anger, do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while

you are still angry Throughout the last three chapters of Ephesians, Paul writes to these

new believers about taking responsibility for their lives. He deals with marriage, parenting, and

spiritual warfare. But at the end of chapter four, he teaches about anger. He reminds them of

the importance of honest appraisal before each day ends. Let it go, he says, then go to bed.

To have a healthy spiritual life, we need to be honest with each other, confront with love, and

forgive. To have a healthy relationship with God, we need to let ourselves be honest with him.

Hes big enough to handle all of our pain and anger.

[Q]Have you ever tried to sleep while you were struggling with anger? What happened?

[Q]Should we accept anger with God as a normal part of the human experience?Explain.

[Q]Do you have a more honest relationship with others when you are free to expressanger? Why or why not?

[Q]How do you keep anger from becoming bitterness?

[Q]Is there any circumstance in your life for which you cant forgive God?

Teaching Point Four: Anger has a purpose.

Weve heard about righteous anger. Its no surprise when the injustices in our world move us

toward vehement protest. But what could be the purpose of anger in our own lives?


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Biblical counselor June Hunt describes frustration as a form of anger, especially when it reveals

unmet expectations. We all have a God-given inner need for significance, Hunt writes. When

the significance is threatened, frustration is a major source of anger. So one purpose for anger isto help us see our need for significance and perhaps deal with unrealistic expectations. Read Psalm

73:2326.

Another purpose is noted earlier in Psalm 73. Asaph had come to the end of his questions, and

now he focused on trusting God. His anger brought him into a more intimate relationship with the

Almighty. Honest anger can do that for us, too, helping us understand the cry of Gods heart for

our love.

Still another purpose for honest anger is to find the root of our frustration. Have we been hurt by

someone and never honestly dealt with the pain? Perhaps were still angry at our parents and theway they raised us or even abused us. Maybe there was an absent parent. Our anger points us to

that empty place and helps us realize only God can fill it.

Changes in life often masquerade as fear, but the root of that fear might be anger. Were frustrated

by economic uncertainties, afraid of losing everything, and angry that others have betrayed us.

Finding the root of anger helps us dig out the truth and be honest with ourselves. But finding that

root means coming back to the first pointhonest anger.

[Q]Are there any hidden roots in your soul that are keeping you from expressing anger?

[Q]What is an example of being frustrated by unmet expectations?

[Q]How can righteous anger bring about change? How do you deal with change?

[Q]Have you found any purpose for the anger in your life? What good can come out of it?

[Q]How does God pour out his heart to you? How do you pour out your heart to him?

Part 3Apply Your Findings

Read Psalm 139:2324.

King David urges us to bring our vulnerability to God. Only our loving heavenly Father knows

exactly how we feel and the anger we hide inside. He can search those deep places, test us, and

know our thoughts. Anger isnt offensive to God, but ignoring him is. He wants us to trust him

enough to honestly bare our souls and then let him fill the emptiness. Perhaps Davids honesty

with God had something to do with him becoming a man after Gods own heart.


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In the book Uprooting Anger(P&R Publishing, 2005), author Robert D. Jones writes that

anger is a response of judgment against perceived evil. This includes the perceived evils that

happen to us. Jones further explains, Anger is something we do, not something we have.

We cant hide our anger from God, although we may try to hide it from others and even from

ourselves. So if we cant hide it, we might as well express it and rid ourselves of the burden.

[Q]How was King David vulnerable with God?

[Q]What is the difference between trying to hide our anger from God and just ignoringGod?

[Q]Do you agree with Jones that anger is something we do rather than something we

have?

[Q]How does anger affect your prayer life? Your worship life?

[Q]Does our ability to express anger determine whether we have a healthy relationshipwith God? Explain.

[Q]Are we ever justified in being angry with God?

[Q]What disappointments or losses have recently caused you to be angry?

Action Point: Keep the anger where it belongs. Think about your mostrecent loss, hurt, or disappointment. What have you done with that anger?If you still need to deal with it, express it first to God. Ask him to guide you.Perhaps he wants you just to confess that anger. Maybe you can journalabout it or write yourself a letter and then destroy it. Ask him to guide youto Scriptures of healing so the anger can be resolved. Pray for protection foryourself to keep the anger from becoming a harmful root of bitterness or aphysical stress. Determine to be more alert for any loss, and to immediatelydeal with anger. Ask God to make you more sensitive to hidden angers.

When we look for the roots of our feelings, we learn more about ourselves.As we begin to allow pieces of our anger to fall off, we may feel scared aboutour vulnerability. But thats where God can begin. When we bring him our

most inner selves, he touches those tender places and brings healing. Butif we close ourselves off from him, we avoid the truth and miss out on hissweetness. Well have a more intimate walk with our Savior when we getrid of everything that keeps us away from his heart, including the messybusiness of anger.

Rebecca Jay writes from Kansas and sometimes struggles with anger. Shes

learning to be more honest with God and with herself.


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Recommended Resources

Check out the following Bible studies at: ChristianBibleStudies.com

Whats Fueling Your Anger

John Piper on the Nature of God

Psalms: Managing Our Emotions

Who Is God?

1 Samuel: Putting God First

Adopted into Gods Family

Angry at God? Bring Him Your Doubts and Questions, by Robert D. Jones

(Resources for Changing Lives, 2003). We need to humbly bring God our struggles,doubts, and questions. We must learn to be transparent in Gods presence, think

biblically, and act obediently.

The Anger Workbook, by Les Carter and Frank Minirth, M.D. (Thomas Nelson,

1992). A 13-step program of interactive exercises that will help you identify learned

patterns of relating, thinking, and behaving that influence your anger.

The Big Bad God of the Bible: Is God Really a Bully?by Mark Littleton (Living Ink,

2008). Tough issues found in Scripture: God-ordered genocides such as the flood; free

will; the problem of evil; the fall.

Uprooting Anger, by Robert D. Jones (P&R Publishing, 2005). Everyone

experiences anger, but few of us handle it in a Christ-centered way or know how to

help others biblically. We need something better than our own moral efforts and

resolutions if we really want to rid our hearts of deep-rooted anger.

Dont Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart, by Kenneth C. Haugk, Ph.D. (Stephen

Ministries, 2004). The words or actions we use in our attempts to help hurting people

may unintentionally add to their burdens instead of easing their pain.

The Angry Christian, by Andrew D. Lester (Westminster/John Knox, 2003). The

newest behavioral research models, contemporary biblical and theological scholarship,

constructivist philosophy, and narrative theory in a comprehensive pastoral theology

of anger.

Getting Anger Under Control, by Neil T. Anderson and Rich Miller (Harvest House

Publishers, 2002). Gain the upper hand when you discover these biblical principles

and constructive methods for overcoming overwhelming emotions.
http://www.christianbiblestudies.com/http://www.christianbiblestudies.com/http://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/whatfuelyour.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/whatfuelyour.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/jopionnaofgo.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/jopionnaofgo.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/psmaourem.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/psmaourem.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/whoisgod.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/whoisgod.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/1sapugodfi.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/1sapugodfi.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/adingofa.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/adingofa.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/adingofa.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/1sapugodfi.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/whoisgod.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/psmaourem.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/jopionnaofgo.htmlhttp://biblestudies.stores.yahoo.net/whatfuelyour.htmlhttp://www.christianbiblestudies.com/http://www.christianbiblestudies.com/


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Honest AngerP a r t i c i p a n t s G u i d e

P a r t i c i p a n t s G u i d e

Scr ipture : Job 1 :1319; 2 :79; Psalm 73; 139:2324; Ephesians 4 :2532

B e i n g h o n e s t w i t h G o d i s t h e f i r s t s t e p

t ow ard resolv in g ou r an g er.

HonestAnger

Its a bit scary, but we have to admit the

truth. At times, we get angry with God.

The pink slip comes, even though we were

told layoffs wouldnt happen. God tells us

to move away from family and friends. We

obey and everything falls apart. We grow up

trusting God, but now he seems to have forgotten

about us. Life isnt fair, and we feel its Gods fault.

Anger is an honest emotion, but dare we express it to God Almighty? Is it

okay to be red-faced, spitting mad at God? What happens if we tell him how

we really feel? These are some of the questions well address in this study.


11/53





Life throws unfair blows at us. Wonderful people die young. Loving couples are infertile.Christian marriages end. When we cant understand why, we often let our emotions take control.

Any type of disappointment, loss, or hurt can send us straight into anger.

Yet the Bible shows us examples of honest anger. Admitting anger can be the first step toward

healing, as we deal with the losses of life. God isnt afraid of our anger. Hes been dealing with it

since before we were born. In fact, he created us with emotions so we can express what we feel

and not implode. He wants us to be honest with ourselves, with others, and especially with him.

Then hell help us figure out what to do with the messiness of life.


Teaching Point One: Anger is a response to pain.

Teaching Point Two: Stored anger can be dangerous.

Teaching Point Three: Let yourself be honest.

Teaching Point Four: Anger has a purpose.


We cant hide our anger from God, although we may try to hide it from others and even from

ourselves. So if we cant hide it, we might as well express it and rid ourselves of the burden.

Action Point: Keep the anger where it belongs. Think about your most recent

loss, hurt, or disappointment. What have you done with that anger? If youstill need to deal with it, express it first to God. Ask him to guide you. Perhapshe wants you just to confess that anger. Maybe you can journal about it orwrite yourself a letter and then destroy it. Ask him to guide you to Scripturesof healing so the anger can be resolved. Pray for protection for yourself tokeep the anger from becoming a harmful root of bitterness or a physicalstress. Determine to be more alert for any loss, and to immediately deal withanger. Ask God to make you more sensitive to hidden angers.


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When we look for the roots of our feelings, we learn more about ourselves.As we begin to allow pieces of our anger to fall off, we may feel scared aboutour vulnerability. But thats where God can begin. When we bring him ourmost inner selves, he touches those tender places and brings healing. Butif we close ourselves off from him, we avoid the truth and miss out on hissweetness. Well have a more intimate walk with our Savior when we getrid of everything that keeps us away from his heart, including the messybusiness of anger.

Rebecca Jay writes from Kansas and sometimes struggles with anger. Shes

learning to be more honest with God and with herself.






Who Is God?

1 Samuel: Putting God First Adopted into Gods Family


(Resources for Changing Lives, 2003). We need to humbly bring God our struggles,

doubts, and questions. We must learn to be transparent in Gods presence, think

biblically, and act obediently.

The Anger Workbook, by Les Carter and Frank Minirth, M.D. (Thomas Nelson,

1992). A 13-step program of interactive exercises that will help you identify learned

patterns of relating, thinking, and behaving that influence your anger.

The Big Bad God of the Bible: Is God Really a Bully?by Mark Littleton (Living Ink,

2008). Tough issues found in Scripture: God-ordered genocides such as the flood; free

will; the problem of evil; the fall.


13/53




Uprooting Anger, by Robert D. Jones (P&R Publishing, 2005). Everyone

experiences anger, but few of us handle it in a Christ-centered way or know how to

help others biblically. We need something better than our own moral efforts andresolutions if we really want to rid our hearts of deep-rooted anger.

Dont Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart, by Kenneth C. Haugk, Ph.D. (Stephen

Ministries, 2004). The words or actions we use in our attempts to help hurting people

may unintentionally add to their burdens instead of easing their pain.

The Angry Christian, by Andrew D. Lester (Westminster/John Knox, 2003). The

newest behavioral research models, contemporary biblical and theological scholarship,

constructivist philosophy, and narrative theory in a comprehensive pastoral theology

of anger.

Getting Anger Under Control, by Neil T. Anderson and Rich Miller (Harvest House

Publishers, 2002). Gain the upper hand when you discover these biblical principles

and constructive methods for overcoming overwhelming emotions.


14/53


Current Issues


Scr ipture : Psalm 32:811; Lamentat ions 3 :1626; Habakkuk 3 :1719;Romans 8 :3139; 1 John 4 :721

To resolv e ou r an g er, w e n eed t o t ru s t God

b e c a u s e o f o u r c o n f i d e n c e i n h i s l o v e .

Believe GodLoves You

Little children in Sunday school are taught

songs about Jesus love. Most of us have

memorized John 3:16, For God so loved

the world . We believe in Gods love

when life is easy, when we dont have many

problems. But now that were being honest

and admitting our anger, we may have difficultybelieving that Gods love still includes us. Weve grown

up. We simply dont trust God any more.

How do we move from the heat of anger to the calm of faith? Are anger and

trust opposing emotions? Does God really love us, even when were angry?

In this study, well search for some answers to these questions.


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Believe God Loves YouL e a d e r s G u i d e



Angela earned a cheerleading scholarship to her state university. She eagerly walked to the

gym for the first practice of the season and met all the other cheerleaders. After they warmed

up with stretching moves, the leader announced it was time for the trust exercise. Each girl

had to climb to the top of the bleachers, turn around and fall backwards into the arms of the

guys. It was the ultimate test of trust. Could Angela let herself fall several feet and trust the

strength of those strong arms? She did, and she passed the test.

During a ballgame later that semester, Angela was at the top of the cheerleader pyramid.

Three rows below, somebody buckled. The entire group fell, and Angela landed under

several other bodies. Her knee bent beneath her, tearing cartilage and tissue. She spent time

in the hospital, going through surgery and painful rehab. The next time she was part of a

pyramid, trust was more difficult to find. Angela remembered the pain of that fall, and fear

climbed with her over each row of cheerleading bodies.

A cheerleading exercise is one example of trust, but how many of us have difficulty believing

in Gods unconditional love? Sometimes our anger with God may come from the fact that

we cant reconcile love with his seemingly unloving actions. Since we cant understand his

logic, we cant trust his heart. We want to believe God loves us, and we think we trust him.

But what happens to our trust when it feels like God has dropped us?


[Q]Have you ever felt like God dropped you in the middle of a crucial test? Tell usabout it.

[Q]When life falls apart, how do you find your way back to belief and trust?

[Q]Is it possible to have a relationship with God and not completely trust him?

[Q]Does anger destroy trust?

[Q]Some may be afraid to admit their anger with God, because they feel their honestymight cancel out his love. Is that a valid fear? Why or why not?


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Teaching Point One: Describe the indescribable.

Read Romans 8:3139.

How many of us would offer our healthy child as a heart transplant donor for a neighborhood

kid? Yet that is exactly what God did for us. The greatest proof of his loving heart was when

he sent his Son to die for us. Another human being actually became our substitute and gave

his heart. Because Jesus paid the ultimate price, God doesnt demand death and eternal

judgment for us. If weve made the choice to believe Gods love and have a relationship with

Christ, weve had an eternal transplant.

To understand how to trust Gods heart, we need to believe in who he is. We find descriptions

of God by looking in his Book; by searching beyond our logic to find his heart. An authors

character often shows in his work. Madeleine LEngle lived a creative life in her garden and

through her words, and often wrote about gardening in her essays. Maya Angelous gift for

poetic rhythm comes through her writings, even in her novels and nonfiction pieces. The

details of sensitive characters reveal the artistry of Nicholas Sparks, causing us to believe him

to be a sensitive man. The military shaped who Tom Clancy is, and this shows up in all his

novels.

Throughout Gods book, the Bible, we discover his character. He is loveno matter howangry his people are. He is sovereignno matter how out-of-control life seems. He is just

no matter how long it takes for justice to happen. These are just some of the attributes of

God, and love is an overall theme throughout Gods Book. God found a way to show us his

heartthrough Christ.

As difficult as it sometimes is to believe, absolutely nothing can separate us from Gods love.

Hebrews 13:5b quotes Deuteronomy 31:6, God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I

forsake you. God will never abandon us, never reject us, and never, ever stop loving us.

Optional Activity:As a group, read 1 John 4:721. Then reread it silently and highlightevery phrase that talks about Gods love. On a whiteboard or poster board, list the love phrases your

group has discovered. Share how some of these phrases have been evident in your life. Describe how

you rely on the love God has for you (v. 16). Then ask: What did these phrases teach you about

Gods love?

[Q]Before you became a Christian, were you aware of being separated from God? Is itdifferent now? If so, how?


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[Q]To what degree are a lack of trust and the sin of unbelief connected?

In her book Breaking Free(Broadman & Holman, 2000), Bible study teacher Beth Moorewrites, God cannot keep from showing his love. He loves us through blessing, answered

prayer, loving chastisement, constant care, intervention and much more. God thinks about

us constantly.

[Q]Do you think thats true? Do you believe God is thinking about you constantly?Why or why not?

[Q]If you dont believe God loves you, what might be Gods opinion about that? Forexample, how have you felt when you love someone and they reject or fail to see that

love? Is that a fair analogy? Why or why not?

Teaching Point Two: Accept the unacceptable.

In our first study about honest anger, we learned that anger is often a response to loss. Part

of the grief process is admitting anger and then dealing with it. At the end of the process,

acceptance appears. We begin to accept the loss as part of our journey, and we move toward

healing.

This acceptance can happen without hardening our hearts toward God. When we believe

that God truly loves us, the difficult circumstances dont seem so unacceptable. Since God is

sovereign, he knows what he is allowing into our lives. But trust sometimes doesnt reappearuntil the healing is almost complete.

Writer Larry Libby explains his feelings in an article titled Prayers from the Edge

(Discipleship Journalarchives). Libbys wife died young, and he struggled to make sense of

the tragedy. With my world reeling, he writes, I found I didnt have the faith I thought I

had. I still believed in God. Still believed in his goodness. But I just couldnt trust him. I was

too wounded.

When we face unacceptable situations, we learn to trust without understanding. None of

us can truly understand God. Hes a mystery. Its the same in any relationship. Men dont

really understand women, and Venus cant figure out Mars. But somehow, we work outour relationships and learn to believe in each other. If we truly love another person, we

work at trust. The same process happens in our relationship with God. Even when we cant

understand his reasoning, we can crawl back to the place of trusting him. We can believe he

personally loves us.

Read Habakkuk 3:1719.


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Habakkuk was a minor prophet with a major message. He lived during the same time frame

as Jeremiah and, evidently, he was a man of great faith. This section of his book reveals

how to trust in spite of circumstances. Although the crops failed and no livestock survived,Habakkuk decided to rejoice. He was determined to be joyful, to trust in Gods strength and

believe in his love. He focused on God, instead of his circumstances. Eventually, he knew

Gods love would enable him to climb to the heights of belief.

[Q]What in the past has convinced you of Gods love for you?

[Q]What have you learned about trust through the unacceptable parts of life?

[Q]Have you felt the way Libby describes: too wounded to trust? Explain.

[Q]How have you trusted Gods love even when your Why? questions werent

answered?

[Q]Is it possible to believe God loves you when you cant logically understand him?

[Q]How has a human relationship taught you about trusting in Gods love?

Teaching Point Three: Make a move forward.

Libby gives advice about the first steps toward trust. Inch back toward God. Make some kind

of movement in his direction, even if its only a glance, a sigh, a tear, a muffled cry in the night.

Start in your mistrust and disbelief. Start in your doubt. Start in your anger and grief.

When were angry with a person, its hard to make that first move toward reconciliation. Its

even harder to reconcile with God, because he sometimes feels so far away. We cant touch him,

and when were really mad at him, we dont hear what hes trying to say.

God made the process easy for us, because he made the first move with Jesus. We dont have to

grit our teeth to make things right. God already did that. He took the first step, and even now

he stands with his arms reaching toward us. Our part is to honestly express our feelings and

respond from where we are. I dont like this, God, and Im still angry. But Ill trust that you

know whats going on and you still love me.

This may feel like hypocrisy, almost as if were lying to ourselves and certainly lying to God.

But its not. Its trusting that something is true, even if it doesnt feel like its true. It gets easier,

one step at a time. Eventually, one step becomes two and then three. At some point, if we keep

believing and acting out that belief, well be running back to Godfull of love for him and

accepting love from him.

Read Psalm 32:811.


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It almost makes more sense to read verse 8 after verse 11. We begin our journey back to Gods

love feeling like a stubborn mule. But Gods love continues to surround us. As we believe in Gods

unfailing love, we learn to rejoice, to sing and be glad. God instructs us, counsels us, teaches us, andwatches over us.

If anger is blocking the way, we cant hear his instruction. If we continue to be stubborn, holding

that anger against God, we cant hear his voice or feel him surrounding us. But when we honestly

admit the anger, work through the process and release itwell hear divine counsel that will show

us the direction we should go.

Franklin Graham, son of Billy and Ruth Graham, writes in Living Beyond the Limits(Zondervan,

1998): If we want to be used by God, we have no other choice than to trust ourselves to his care.

[Q]How has God instructed you or counseled you in the last year?

[Q]Have you had trouble hearing from God? Do you think its because of anger? Why orwhy not?

[Q]What is one step you have made toward believing God loves you?

[Q]What are practical ways you can continue to believe in Gods love, especially whenyoure angry?

[Q]What might be some ways that will help you feel Gods love surrounding you? For

example: seeing the beauty of nature, being with those you love and who love you, readinguplifting words of his love in the Bible, singing hymns of praise, etc.


Read Lamentations 3:1626.

The weeping prophet, Jeremiah, understood how difficult it is to trust Gods love when were

angry and bitterly disappointed about life. The Book of Lamentations is a series of laments,expressions of sorrow and regret. Jeremiah remembered his afflictions and wanderings. He was

honest enough with God to admit his own bitterness and discouragement. He has broken my

teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust. I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten

what prosperity is. So I say, My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the Lord (vv.

1618).

Yet Jeremiah had hope, because he reminded himself of the Lords great love. He recalled the

compassions of the Lord that never failed. In fact, new compassions (mercies) were available


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every morning. Jeremiah focused on those compassions and waited for the salvation of the

Lord.

God is the same today as he was when Jeremiah wrote his laments. He is faithful to continue

in his love for us, no matter what happens. Every sunrise brings new compassions and more

opportunities to experience Gods love for us. Since love is his character, we can trust him to

continue to love us and watch over us.

[Q]What are some of the yet moments youve had with Godwhen circumstances wereterrible, yet you remembered Gods love?

[Q]How can you discover new compassions every morning?

Action Point: Fully accept Gods love. Author Elizabeth George usesacceptance as a background for the last chapter in her book Loving God withAll Your Mind(Harvest House, 2005), which she ends with: What greater wayis there to show our love for God than to fully accept his will and his ways inour lives? Than to trust him fully and completely even in the dark?

As we face each new day, especially when we feel as if were alone, it helps toremind ourselves of Gods love. Look in the mirror and face your doubts withGods truth. Speak what your inner soul already knows but may be too angryto admit:

I dont understand what God is doing, but I dont have to understand it.

Its okay to ask, Why? but God doesnt have to give me an answer.

Gods character is love. Thats who he is.

The question really isnt Why?its Who?

God loves me today, and thats all I need to know.

Try speaking one of these bullet ideas on Monday and focusing on it all day.Praise God for his truth, no matter what has happened to stir up your anger.Try the next bullet point on Tuesday, and so onone step at a time. As wespeak the truth, our minds and hearts will begin to believe more of the trutheach day. Then, like Jeremiah, our lamentations will become patience andpraise. Anger will be replaced by trust, especially when were trusting in theonly one who loved us enough to die.

Rebecca Jay writes from Kansas, where she is still learning to trust, one step at a

time. She recites verses in the mirror every morning and often asks for new mercies.


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Who Is God?



Believing God, by Beth Moore (B & H Publishing Group, 2004). Take God at his

word, believe his promises and, as a result, live a fuller life. Dont be afraid to set asideyour unbelief and experience the great blessings of Gods promises.

Ruthless Trust: The Ragamuffins Path to God, by Brennan Manning (HarperOne,

2002). A life-changing discussion of how the whole of Christian practice can be

summed up in a single five-letter wordtrust.

Trust: A Godly Womans Adornment, by Lydia Brownback (Crossway Books &

Bibles, 2008). In spite of frightening headlines and nerve-wracking circumstances,

Scripture says fear doesnt need to be part of the Christians life.

Looking Up When Life is Looking Down, by Beth Moore (Thomas Nelson, 2008).

Learn to see Gods gracious provision of love and faithfulness no matter what your

circumstances.

The Road Home, by Denise Jackson (Thomas Nelson, 2008). Amid the highs and

lows of life, we sometimes forget that God is at work and that he desires to be our all

in all.

Fight of Faith: Believing God in Difficult Times, by Bruce McDonald (Moody

Publishers, 2004). Written to encourage the weary to not lose heart, Bruce McDonaldpenned this book after seeing countless examples of men and women who lost

confidence in God.

Can God Be Trusted in Our Trials?by Tony Evans (Moody Publishers, 2004). Why

arent we promised an easy ride once we accept Jesus as our Savior? This book explores

why God allows trials, and then delivers practical steps for responding to them and

emerging victorious.


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Current Issues


Scr ipture : Psalm 32:811; Lamentat ions 3 :1626; Habakkuk 3 :1719;Romans 8 :3139; 1 John 4 :721

To resolv e ou r an g er, w e n eed t o t ru s t God

b e c a u s e o f o u r c o n f i d e n c e i n h i s l o v e .

Believe GodLoves You

Little children in Sunday school are taught

songs about Jesus love. Most of us have

memorized John 3:16, For God so loved

the world . We believe in Gods love

when life is easy, when we dont have many

problems. But now that were being honest

and admitting our anger, we may have difficulty

believing that Gods love still includes us. Weve grown

up. We simply dont trust God any more.

How do we move from the heat of anger to the calm of faith? Are anger and

trust opposing emotions? Does God really love us, even when were angry?

In this study, well search for some answers to these questions.


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Believe God Loves YouP a r t i c i p a n t s G u i d e


How many of us have difficulty believing in Gods unconditional love? Sometimes our angerwith God may come from the fact that we cant reconcile love with his seemingly unloving

actions. Since we cant understand his logic, we cant trust his heart. We want to believe God

loves us, and we think we trust him. But what happens to our trust when it feels like God has

dropped us?



Teaching Point Two: Accept the unacceptable.

Teaching Point Three: Make a move forward.


God is the same today as he was when Jeremiah wrote his laments. He is faithful to continue

in his love for us, no matter what happens. Every sunrise brings new compassions and more

opportunities to experience Gods love for us. Since love is his character, we can trust him to

continue to love us and watch over us.

Action Point: Fully accept Gods love. Author Elizabeth George usesacceptance as a background for the last chapter in her book Loving God withAll Your Mind(Harvest House, 2005), which she ends with: What greater wayis there to show our love for God than to fully accept his will and his ways inour lives? Than to trust him fully and completely even in the dark?

As we face each new day, especially when we feel as if were alone, it helps toremind ourselves of Gods love. Look in the mirror and face your doubts withGods truth. Speak what your inner soul already knows but may be too angryto admit:

I dont understand what God is doing, but I dont have to understand it.

Its okay to ask, Why? but God doesnt have to give me an answer.

Gods character is love. Thats who he is.


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The question really isnt Why?its Who?

God loves me today, and thats all I need to know.

Try speaking one of these bullet ideas on Monday and focusing on it all day.Praise God for his truth, no matter what has happened to stir up your anger.Try the next bullet point on Tuesday, and so onone step at a time. As wespeak the truth, our minds and hearts will begin to believe more of the trutheach day. Then, like Jeremiah, our lamentations will become patience andpraise. Anger will be replaced by trust, especially when were trusting in theonly one who loved us enough to die.

Rebecca Jay writes from Kansas, where she is still learning to trust, one step at a

time. She recites verses in the mirror every morning and often asks for new mercies.






Who Is God?



Believing God, by Beth Moore (B & H Publishing Group, 2004). Take God at his

word, believe his promises and, as a result, live a fuller life. Dont be afraid to set aside

your unbelief and experience the great blessings of Gods promises.

Ruthless Trust: The Ragamuffins Path to God

, by Brennan Manning (HarperOne,2002). A life-changing discussion of how the whole of Christian practice can be

summed up in a single five-letter wordtrust.

Trust: A Godly Womans Adornment, by Lydia Brownback (Crossway Books &

Bibles, 2008). In spite of frightening headlines and nerve-wracking circumstances,

Scripture says fear doesnt need to be part of the Christians life.


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Looking Up When Life is Looking Down, by Beth Moore (Thomas Nelson, 2008).

Learn to see Gods gracious provision of love and faithfulness no matter what yourcircumstances.

The Road Home, by Denise Jackson (Thomas Nelson, 2008). Amid the highs and

lows of life, we sometimes forget that God is at work and that he desires to be our all

in all.

Fight of Faith: Believing God in Difficult Times, by Bruce McDonald (Moody

Publishers, 2004). Written to encourage the weary to not lose heart, Bruce McDonald

penned this book after seeing countless examples of men and women who lost

confidence in God.

Can God Be Trusted in Our Trials?by Tony Evans (Moody Publishers, 2004). Why

arent we promised an easy ride once we accept Jesus as our Savior? This book explores

why God allows trials, and then delivers practical steps for responding to them and

emerging victorious.


26/53


Current Issues


Scr ipture : Psalm 13; 139:116; John 11:1732; Hebrews 10:3539;

1 John 1 :17

A s w e d e v e l o p a n h o n e s t r e l a t i o n s h i p

w i t h G o d , o u r t r u s t b l e s s e s h i m .

Bless andHonor God

God wants to relate to uspersonally and

individually. He has purpose in all that

happens to us, so we can find a new type

of reasoning within our anger. Instead of

always wanting God to bless us (at least in

the way we want to be blessed) and growing

mad when he doesnt, we can learn to blessand honor him.

But how can we bless God when were so angry with him? Does God really

need us to bless him? Is blessing God just saying what we dont mean?


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Bless and Honor GodL e a d e r s G u i d e



Martin Luther said the first rule of prayer is, Dont lie to God. Thats a good rule for any

relationship, but especially when the other person in the relationship reads our minds and

knows our deepest motives. Its important to trust God enough to tell him how we feel

even if that truth includes anger.

Nothing we do or think will ever surprise God. He knows us better than we know

ourselves. He gave everything so that we could share a relationship with him. But in order

to strengthen that relationship and learn more about this divine being, we need to be

totally honest. That honesty is a sign of trust. As we tell God the truth, with the respect

he deserves, we show him that were not afraid of the relationship. That trust and respect

blesses God.

Most of us can list several blessings we have received as a result of our Christian

experiencehealings, guidance for decisions, the security of an eternity in paradise. But

how many times do we think about blessing God? Loving him, trusting him, and telling

him the truth blesses God. As we grow in the relationship and tell God the truth, we

become a blessing to him.

Anne Lamott writes in her book Traveling Mercies(Random House, 1999), The mosthonest prayer is Help me, help me, help me followed by Thank you, thank you, thank

you.


[Q]If you could describe your relationship with God in one word or phrase, whatwould it be?

[Q]Do you spend any time thinking about how you can truly love God? If so, what

kind of conclusions have you come to?

[Q]Is complete honesty with God a form of respect? Why or why not?

[Q]Are you ever afraid of approaching God? Explain.

[Q]What has been the most honest prayer youve ever prayed?


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Any successful relationship is based on risk. Its scary to ask someone out for a date;

even scarier to go on that date. Walking down the aisle to marry that one special person

involves a risk. Trusting God with everyday life is risky, too. Sometimes its easier to trust

God with eternity than with Monday through Friday.

But the quality of our relationship with God is based on honesty, and love takes the risk.

God is the one who keeps our hearts beating and blood pulsing through our veins. But

hes also the one who dripped his own blood on a splintered cross so that we could know

what relationship with him is all about.

Taking the risk to be honest about our anger shows that we trust in the relationship.

Good marriages involve trust. Quality friendships share honest emotions, even anger.

Our relationship with God is no different. Its based on trusting enough to let go and tell

God how we feel. Read Psalm 139:116.

King David reminds us that God knows everything about us: when we sit or rise, when

we go out or lie down. We cant run away from him, because he always knows where we

are. God is familiar with all our ways and perceives our thoughts. Sometimes, he also

hems us in. Maybe thats when we need to be most honest with Godwhen we feelhemmed in.

[Q]How easy do you find it to be honest with God?

[Q]Give both a negative and a positive example of what it would mean to behemmed in.

What does it mean to be hemmed in with God?

[Q]What is your most trusting relationship with another person? How does itcompare with your relationship with God?

In the book Blessing the King of the Universe(Messianic Jewish Publishers, 2004), author

Irene Lipson describes Jesus attitude. He never compared himself to anyone else, nor did

he complain because life wasnt fair. He was honest with God and others, developing the

most pure and sincere relationships wherever he went. Yeshua wasted no energy on if

onlys. He had no regrets about who he was Gods hands are sure hands. He makes no

mistakes.


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Since Gods hands are sure hands, forming us and planning our lives before we were born,

we can trust him to work out the messiness of life. But when the plan doesnt make sense, we

can take the risk and honestly ask God about it.

[Q]What messes in your life are you having trouble seeing Gods purpose in?

[Q]Have you ever blessed or praised God when your circumstances didnt make sense?What happened to your attitude?

Teaching Point Two: Refine the relationship.

Getting to know each other over time helps develop relationships. Couples who have been

married 40+ years can often finish each others sentences. They almost know what the other

one is thinking, because theyve spent so much time together and theyve learned to relatehonestlyeven when theyre angry.

But our relationship with God is a little tricky. The Bible reminds us that God is mysterious

and so much greater than we can imagine. Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you

probe the limits of the Almighty? (Job 11:7).

In order to grow closer to God and learn how to bless him, we need to communicate well

and often. We need to spend time with him, study the book that tells us about him, and let

those who are wiser mentor us. Learning to know God and refine the relationship takes a

lot of emotional and spiritual energy. It takes time and effort, but its certainly worth it

especially when we realize were learning how to bless him. Read 1 John 1:17.

The apostle John uses three concepts to refine the relationship with God:fellowship, light,

andjoy.Fellowshipcomes through communication, which centers on the Word of God.

We know how to fellowship with each otherpotlucks, coffee breaks, and small groups.

But fellowship with God is deeper. As we learn to fellowship with God, we prepare for an

eternity in his presence.

Lightexposes truth, so the longer we stay in the light, the less we walk in darkness. If were

living in the darkness of unexpressed anger, were not telling the truth and were not in

fellowship with God. John also writes about hisjoy being complete as his readers learn to

fellowship with God. How much greater is Gods joy as we refine our relationship with him.

[Q]How do you fellowship with God? Name practical ways.

[Q]Are there any areas where you are walking in darkness?

[Q]How do we stay in the light?

[Q]What kinds of relationships bring you joy?


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[Q] Are you experiencing joy in your relationship with God? Why or why not?

Thinking about the relationships that bring you joy, what can you apply to

your relationship with God?

[Q]Do you think your current relationship with God is a blessing to him? Explain.

Optional Activity:Think about your most successful relationship. What is it about thatrelationship that makes it so worthwhile? Describe that relationship to the members of the group.

When everyone has had a chance to do this, take what youve learned and discuss some ways that

you can refine your relationship with God to make it more successful.

Teaching Point Three: Learn from the ladies.

Read John 11:1732.

Martha and Mary spent quality time with their friend Jesus. Jesus liked to hang out at their

home in Bethany, where he could taste Marthas newest recipes, joke with Lazarus, and share

deep truths with Mary. They were close to him and honest with him. They trusted him, and it

must have blessed him because he kept coming back.

On one occasion, Martha complained because Mary wasnt helping her in the kitchen. Lord,

dont you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me (Luke10:40). Jesus listened and gave an honest answer: Mary has chosen what is better, and it will

not be taken away from her (Luke 10:42). Martha knew how to give and take with Jesus. She

approached him honestly about the problem, and she let him respond. For a man who was

about to take on the Cross, it must have been a blessing to have such an honest friendship.

Later, after Lazarus had died, both Martha and Mary let Jesus know they didnt appreciate his

late arrival. Both women used the phrase, If you had been here. They knew Jesus could have

healed their brother. All he had to do was speak one word, and they wouldnt have had to walk

through grief. But he didnt come in time. The ladies basically asked, Whats the deal, Lord?

We sent word that Lazarus was sick. Why didnt you hurry to Bethany and heal our brother?Jesus took the time to listen to both women. He discussed the resurrection with Martha and

made clear that he was that life. Then he did the improbable thing and brought her brother

back to life. An amazing fact in this story is not that Jesus can raise the dead. He is, after all,

divine. Whats incredible is that these two women, who were angry at the son of God, werent

afraid to confront him. Their relationship was so solid, they could ask him hard questions.


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[Q]Whats a hard question you would like to ask God? Whats keeping you fromasking it?

Anne Lamott approaches the hard questions in her essays about faith. She wonders about the

expansive measure of Gods love. The mystery of Gods love as I understand it is that God

loves the man who is being mean to his dog just as much as he loves babies he loves the

mother who drowns her sons as much as he loves the religious leader so of course he loves

old ordinary me, loves me, chooses me.

[Q]Do you really believe God loves you with an expansive love?

[Q]Why do you think God loves you? Why did he choose you?

[Q]In what ways would you like to improve your relationship with God?

Teaching Point Four: Move to the next level.

We can spend a lot of money on self-help books and therapists, trying to improve ourselves

and solidify our relationships. The latest ads show us what to wear to impress people. Internet

sites help us find someone who will be our soul mate. But we dont always focus on building a

stronger relationship with God. That topic seems too surreal.

Maybe its because relating to God is too risky, too much of a threat for our inner selves.

Perhaps were fear-based people. The status quo is more comfortable. Were saved. We knowwere going to heaven and thats good enough. We dont have time for anything more.

But at some point, we need to dig deeper. When we face emotional battles and find ourselves

begging God to help us, we yearn to talk to him face to face. Maybe our anger is blocking

our faith, and we cant find God anymore. How do we move to the next level and honestly

approach the problem? Read Psalm 13.

King David, shepherd boy and man after Gods own heart, had plenty of questions. He felt as

if God was hiding, and the enemy was winning. Look on me and answer, he wrote. How

long must I wrestle with my thoughts?

Throughout the Psalms, David searched for a deeper relationship with God. Maybe thats one

reason why he was a man after Gods own heart. Surely, it must have blessed God to hear the

honesty of the shepherd boy and the cries of the king. David tunneled his way into the next

level by affirming his trust in God. He rejoiced in salvation and believed that God loved him.

He trusted God enough to be honest about his frustrations. He reminded God that he was in

desperate need. Then he dumped it on God and said, I trust you.


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[Q]Can you relate to Psalm 13? Do you feel as if God has forgotten you? What thoughtsare you wrestling with?

[Q]Have you ever demanded an answer from God? Do you think you should?


The writer of Hebrews had a handle on building a relationship with God. The theme of

Hebrews could be described as: Consider Jesus.

Even when were angry with God, we can stop and consider Jesus. We can think abouteverything he has done for us, and we can bless him by focusing on Jesus. As difficult as that

may seem, it truly can transform your attitude. Read Hebrews 10:3539.

Action Point: The author of Hebrews gives us plenty to think about as wetry to bless God and grow in our relationship with him. Several pointsinclude:

Be confident.Dont throw away your confidence in God. Think aboutthe future reward. Build on that confidence and increase your faith.Believe that you will receive what God has promised.

Persevere. Dont quit. Keep your faith alive. Keep moving forwardand upward.

Do the will of God. Trust. Obey. Love. Be honest.

Remember this is all temporary. Whatever youre going through nowis brief compared with the joy and reward of eternity.

Its necessary to move beyond your anger to go deeper with God. Doyou have a desire to move to a deeper level of relationship with him? Ifso, whats your next step?

Pray this prayer daily this week and see where it leads you: Help me,God, to be honest with you. I dont understand why _______________happened to me. I dont like it, and it seems more painful than Ican bear. But for some reason, Im going through this right now. Ichoose to keep believing in you and trusting you, even though I dontunderstand. I want to persevere. Please help me to bless and honoryou, even in the midst of my confusion. Amen.

Rebecca Jay writes from the Bible Belt, where shes learning to cinch it tighter

and move in deeper with God.


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Recommended ResourcesCheck out the following Bible studies at: ChristianBibleStudies.com




Who Is God?




(Resources for Changing Lives, 2003). Jones contends that we need to

humbly bring God our struggles, doubts, and questions. We must learn to be

transparent in Gods presence, think biblically, and act obediently.

Blessing the King of the Universe: Transforming Your Life Through the

Practice of Biblical Praise, by Irene Lipson (Messianic Jewish Publishers,

2004). Learning how to bless God elevates all aspects of a persons existence to

provide great joy throughout each day.

Whats Good About Feeling Bad? Finding the Blessing in the Midst of Lifes

Difficulties, by John Thomas and Gary R. Habermas (Tyndale House, 2008).

This book is the roadmap you need to make it through your pain and emerge a

stronger, wiser and more complete person than ever before.

Experiencing Intimacy with God, by Joseph M. Stowell (Radio Bible Class,

2006). Sometimes we push thoughts of God aside. These words of counsel are

from a longtime pastor and Christian leader about how to experience intimacy

with God.

Trusting God in Times of Adversity, by Kay Arthur and Pete DeLacy (Harvest

House Publishers, 2003). Serious questions about righteousness, faith, and God

from the life of Job.

Risk: Are You Willing to Trust God with Everything? by Kenny Luck (Random

House, 2006). Jesus challenges us to throw predictability, control, safety, and

comfort out the window and go to the next level in our faith.

Why? Trusting God When You Dont Understand, by Anne Graham Lotz

(Thomas Nelson, 2005). Examining the heartbreaking problem of suffering


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with keen insights from the story of Lazarus and other Gospel accounts.

Is God Really in Control? Trusting God in a World of Terrorism, Tsunamis andPersonal Tragedy, by Jerry Bridges (NAV Press, 2006). Understanding what

God is up to in the midst of personal and global tragedy.


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Current Issues


Scr ipture : Psalm 13; 139:116; John 11:1732; Hebrews 10:3539;

1 John 1 :17

A s w e d e v e l o p a n h o n e s t r e l a t i o n s h i pw i t h G o d , o u r t r u s t b l e s s e s h i m .

Bless andHonor God

God wants to relate to uspersonally and

individually. He has purpose in all that

happens to us, so we can find a new type

of reasoning within our anger. Instead of

always wanting God to bless us (at least in

the way we want to be blessed) and growing

mad when he doesnt, we can learn to bless

and honor him.

But how can we bless God when were so angry with him? Does God really

need us to bless him? Is blessing God just saying what we dont mean?


36/53



Bless and Honor GodP a r t i c i p a n t s G u i d e


Martin Luther said the first rule of prayer is, Dont lie to God. Thats a good rule forany relationship, but especially when the other person in the relationship reads our

minds and knows our deepest motives. Its important to trust God enough to tell him

how we feeleven if that truth includes anger.

Nothing we do or think will ever surprise God. He knows us better than we know

ourselves. He gave everything so that we could share a relationship with him. But in

order to strengthen that relationship and learn more about this divine being, we need

to be totally honest. That honesty is a sign of trust. As we tell God the truth, with the

respect he deserves, we show him that were not afraid of the relationship. That trust

and respect blesses God.

Most of us can list several blessings we have received as a result of our Christian

experiencehealings, guidance for decisions, the security of an eternity in paradise.

But how many times do we think about blessing God? Loving him, trusting him, and

telling him the truth blesses God. As we grow in the relationship and tell God the

truth, we become a blessing to him.

Anne Lamott writes in her book Traveling Mercies(Random House, 1999), The most

honest prayer is Help me, help me, help me followed by Thank you, thank you,

thank you.


Teaching Point One: Take the risk.

Teaching Point Two: Refine the relationship.

Teaching Point Three: Learn from the ladies.

Teaching Point Four: Move to the next level.


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The writer of Hebrews had a handle on building a relationship with God. The themeof Hebrews could be described as: Consider Jesus.

Even when were angry with God, we can stop and consider Jesus. We can think about

everything he has done for us, and we can bless him by focusing on Jesus. As difficult

as that may seem, it truly can transform your attitude. Read Hebrews 10:3539.

Action Point: The author of Hebrews gives us plenty to think aboutas we try to bless God and grow in our relationship with him. Severalpoints include:

Be confident.Dont throw away your confidence in God. Thinkabout the future reward. Build on that confidence and increaseyour faith. Believe that you will receive what God has promised.

Persevere. Dont quit. Keep your faith alive. Keep moving forwardand upward.

Do the will of God. Trust. Obey. Love. Be honest.

Remember this is all temporary. Whatever youre going throughnow is brief compared with the joy and reward of eternity.

Its necessary to move beyond your anger to go deeper with God.

Do you have a desire to move to a deeper level of relationship withhim? If so, whats your next step?

Pray this prayer daily this week and see where it leads you:Help me, God, to be honest with you. I dont understand why_______________ happened to me. I dont like it, and it seems morepainful than I can bear. But for some reason, Im going throughthis right now. I choose to keep believing in you and trusting you,even though I dont understand. I want to persevere. Please helpme to bless and honor you, even in the midst of my confusion.Amen.

Rebecca Jay writes from the Bible Belt, where shes learning to cinch it

tighter and move in deeper with God.


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Who Is God?



Angry at God? Bring Him Your Doubts and Questions, by Robert D.Jones (Resources for Changing Lives, 2003). Jones contends that we need to

humbly bring God our struggles, doubts, and questions. We must learn to

be transparent in Gods presence, think biblically, and act obediently.

Blessing the King of the Universe: Transforming Your Life Through the

Practice of Biblical Praise, by Irene Lipson (Messianic Jewish Publishers,

2004). Learning how to bless God elevates all aspects of a persons existence

to provide great joy throughout each day.

Whats Good About Feeling Bad? Finding the Blessing in the Midst of

Lifes Difficulties, by John Thomas and Gary R. Habermas (Tyndale House,

2008). This book is the roadmap you need to make it through your pain

and emerge a stronger, wiser and more complete person than ever before.

Experiencing Intimacy with God, by Joseph M. Stowell (Radio Bible Class,

2006). Sometimes we push thoughts of God aside. These words of counsel

are from a longtime pastor and Christian leader about how to experience

intimacy with God.

Trusting God in Times of Adversity, by Kay Arthur and Pete DeLacy

(Harvest House Publishers, 2003). Serious questions about righteousness,faith, and God from the life of Job.

Risk: Are You Willing to Trust God with Everything? by Kenny Luck

(Random House, 2006). Jesus challenges us to throw predictability, control,

safety, and comfort out the window and go to the next level in our faith.


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Why? Trusting God When You Dont Understand, by Anne Graham Lotz

(Thomas Nelson, 2005). Examining the heartbreaking problem of suffering

with keen insights from the story of Lazarus and other Gospel accounts.

Is God Really in Control? Trusting God in a World of Terrorism, Tsunamis

and Personal Tragedy, by Jerry Bridges (NAV Press, 2006). Understanding

what God is up to in the midst of personal and global tragedy.


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Current Issues


Scr ipture : Genesis 50 :1521; Job 40:114; Psalm 103; J ohn 17:2026;

Phi l ippians 2 :511

L e a r n i n g t o t h a n k G o d f o r e v e r y t h i n g

w i l l h e l p r e l i e v e o u r a n g e r .

ReplacingAnger

It seems impossible, but with a little practice

and a lot of grit, we can become grateful

people. The place to begin is by replacing

our anger with praise. The Bible reminds

us to be thankful in all circumstances, and

we can find examples throughout Scripture.

We might even see it in daily life. Some peopleseem to know how to find that elusive place of

thanksgiving. Is it a genetic tendency toward joy? Or is it a life time of

discipline? Can we lose the anger and replace it with a better attitude?


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Replacing AngerL e a d e r s G u i d e



Counselors tell us that a way to defeat temptations and addictions is to replace them with

something else. Smokers try gum. Alcoholics attend support groups. Carb lovers munch on

broccoli.

But anger at God comes from a deep emotional and spiritual wound. Replacing that anger

is tricky. First, we have to deal honestly with our anger. Then we must want to replace

it, because staying stuck in the pain is often easier than dealing with it. We know pain is

supposed to grow patience in us, but its hard to be patient. When we cant see anything

growing, its easier to let the anger fester.

Renee tried for six years to get pregnant. Doctors didnt know why she couldnt conceive.

Everything seemed fine, but no baby. Finally, when Renee and her husband decided they

should adopt a child, she suddenly conceived. Everyone rejoiced and praised God. Renee

reveled in her pregnancy and started decorating the nursery. Twelve weeks later, her baby

died inside her and slipped into eternity.

After a short hospital stay, Renee returned home. She shook her fist at God and screamed,

What kind of a sick joke is this? You finally give me a baby, and then you take it away!

Renee soothed her anger with several months of binge eating.

King David asked God the hard questions and recorded it in Psalm 43. After ranting at

God for a while about the unfairness of his life, he ended the song with a question for

himself. Why so disturbed within me? (v. 5). Then he answered his own question with a

formula: Hope in God. Praise him. Remember hes the Savior.

He replaced his anger with a different focus.

Discussion Starters:[Q]What is disturbing you?

[Q]Does your anger seem irreplaceable? Why?

[Q]Think about any temptations youve successfully replaced with something else. Canyou use that experience to help you replace anger with gratitude?

[Q]What is most gratifying about staying angry with God?


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Replacing AngerL e a d e r s G u i d e


Teaching Point One: Be intrigued with God.

The more we learn about God, the more we begin to understand some of the ways he

works. As we focus on whoGod is, we worry less about whythings happen to us or what

God is doing. Some of the things we already know about God include his faithfulness

and love. He is trustworthy, even if we feel like hes betrayed us. He cannot lie, and he

promises to never abandon us. But he is, after all, God. He is sovereign, in control, and

aware of all the reasons why things happen to us.

In a devotional booklet called Experiencing Intimacy with God(Radio Bible Class, 2006),author Joseph Stowell writes, God seeks us in the inner sanctum of our hearts. If its

intimacy we want, we need to be more intrigued with the Giver than the gifts.

Sometimes were angry with God because we dont really have that intimate a relations

Anger With God

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