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How to Deal With Feeling Angry and Disappointed With God – Viral Believer
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How to Deal With Feeling Angry and Disappointed With God

It’s normal for Christians to sometimes feel angry or disappointed with God. We may feel like He has let us down or failed to answer our prayers. During difficult times, we can wrongly accuse God or doubt His goodness.

As Christians, how should we process these difficult emotions? What does the Bible say about relating to God, especially when we’re hurting?

Key Takeaways:

  • Be honest with God about your feelings – He can handle it!
  • Search the Scriptures for God’s character and promises
  • Surrender control to God’s sovereign plan
  • Forgive others and repent of sinful responses
  • Persevere in faith through the trial
  • Seek godly counsel and community support

Be Honest With God About Your Feelings

God knows our hearts better than we know ourselves. He is not shocked or offended by our honesty. Throughout the Psalms, we see the writers pour out their raw emotions to God – anger, doubt, fear, sadness, and more.

Consider Psalm 13:1-2:

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13:1-2)

The psalmist is hurting deeply and asks God hard questions. God invites this kind of honesty. Stuffing down our feelings often makes them worse.

Paul encourages us:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Healthy relationships involve open sharing. Since Jesus bore all our sins on the cross, we can freely express our heart without fear of punishment or rejection.

Search the Scriptures for God’s Character and Promises

In times of despair, we may falsely accuse God or forget His promises. That’s why we must re-center our minds on His unchanging character revealed in Scripture.

The Bible describes God as:

  • Good and righteous (Psalm 119:68)
  • Full of compassion (Psalm 116:5)
  • Slow to anger and abounding in love (Psalm 103:8)
  • Caring intimately for us (Matthew 10:29-31)

Meditating on verses like these renews our perspective. We recall that God is always good, despite our circumstances. His track record shows His faithfulness through generations.

We also have many rock-solid promises to claim, including:

  • He will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6)
  • He works all things for our good (Romans 8:28)
  • He will give us strength for today (Isaiah 41:10)
  • He will wipe away every tear someday (Revelation 21:4)

Standing on these truths stabilizes our emotions despite the storms of life. Our feelings fluctuate, but God’s Word stands forever.

Surrender Control to God’s Sovereign Plan

Much anger at God stems from the illusion of control. We wrongly expect God to follow our plans. When hopes are dashed, we blame Him.

But Scripture says:

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21)

God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). He often works in ways we can’t foresee. His timing is perfect, even when we don’t understand delays.

Rather than raging against God’s decisions, we must learn to trust His good purposes. This involves surrendering our need for control. We acknowledge God’s sovereignty with humility.

Jesus modeled surrender praying in the Garden of Gethsemane:

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42)

As we yield our plans to God’s perfect will, anger dissipates. We gain His peace that transcends understanding (Philippians 4:7).

Forgive Others and Repent of Sinful Responses

Sometimes anger at God masks anger at others who have hurt us. God gets blamed for allowing the injustice.

Jesus warned that unforgiveness destroys us spiritually:

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15)

Carrying a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting harm to the other person. As we forgive those who have wronged us, bitterness loses its grip. We can leave justice in God’s hands rather than seeking vengeance ourselves.

We should also examine our own hearts for sinful responses like envy, pride, or rebellion that may underly anger toward God. King David modeled this reflex after ranting against evil men in Psalm 73. He admitted:

When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. (Psalms 73:21-22)

Repenting of our own faults defuses resentment against the Lord. As we receive His cleansing forgiveness, our relationship is restored.

Persevere in Faith Through the Trial

Walking by faith means trusting God despite our wavering emotions. Dark times tempt us to doubt God’s goodness or abandon our hope in Him.

But Scripture urges:

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

And reminds us:

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

Clinging to Jesus through the storm enables us to endure. We remember others’ perseverance, like Job after catastrophic losses. His unwavering trust proved Satan a liar in the heavenly courtroom.

We follow the example of early Christians who joyfully accepted plundering of property for their faith (Hebrews 10:34). Present trials are temporary compared to the coming “eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

As we fix our eyes on Jesus, anger dissipates. We gain eternal perspective. Our faith emerges stronger, bringing God deep glory.

Seek Godly Counsel and Community Support

Finally, we shouldn’t battle disappointment and anger alone. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the importance of godly counsel and community:

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 11:14)

A friend who has walked this road can help restore perspective. Sharing our struggles openly removes their power over us. Praying together invites God’s supernatural comfort.

Paul relied on brothers like Epaphroditus amidst suffering to avoid despair (Philippians 2:25-27). The early Church shared everything in common to meet needs (Acts 2:44-45).

God designed His Church to reflect His character and care. Surrounding ourselves with supportive believers provides needed reminders of truth when emotions overwhelm us. Their faith strengthens our own.

Moving Forward in Hope

Feeling disappointed or angry with God at times is normal, but dwelling there destroys our joy and witness. Applying these biblical strategies allows us to process the emotions in a healthy manner.

Rather than being controlled by the pain, we lean into Jesus for comfort. Our confidence in His unfailing love and sovereignty is renewed. We become living testimonies of God’s faithfulness through every season of life.

Our Savior understands the storms. He promises:

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. (Isaiah 43:1-2)

May our roots grow deep in His Word. And may God receive all glory, even on the stormiest of days.

Pastor Duke Taber
Pastor Duke Taber

Pastor Duke Taber

All articles have been written or reviewed by Pastor Duke Taber.
Pastor Duke Taber is an alumnus of Life Pacific University and Multnomah Biblical Seminary.
He has been in pastoral ministry since 1988.
Today he is the owner and managing editor of 3 successful Christian websites that support missionaries around the world.
He is currently starting a brand new church in Mesquite NV called Mesquite Worship Center, a Non-Denominational Spirit Filled Christian church in Mesquite Nevada.