One thing I have learned in times of crisis is that God can take our anger. If we feel like yelling at God, it’s okay… He can take it.
My wife and I were discussing this and she talked about how it is just like our children.
Children often get angry at their parents for not giving them something they really wanted (like candy before dinner), or taking something away that they had (like a sharp knife). The parents, if they are good parents, do this because the parent sees the bigger picture and knows what is best. While we don’t enjoy having our children upset at us in such situations, we can handle their anger because we know that we did what was best.
Yelling at God our Father
Similarly, we are God’s children. As our Father, He sees the big picture and knows what is best for us. We may get angry and upset, and if we do, He can take it because He knows we just don’t understand. I don’t think such anger is sinful or carnal, but just anger from ignorance.
God would rather have us come to Him in anger than run from Him in anger. When we are angry at God, but try to hide it, this doesn’t please God, for this is just a form of pious dishonesty. Do you feel like yelling at God? Don’t hold back! Tell God what is wrong.
Yesterday, one of my daughters was angry at me, and I couldn’t figure out why. As I tried to figure out what had happened, I gently probed her with questions. But rather than answer my questions, she just kept saying “Nothing!” No matter what I asked, that was her answer. This is how we act toward God when we don’t vent our anger at Him, and instead just clam up about what we’re feeling.
Yelling at God is a healthy spiritual and relational practice.
The Psalmists all understood this, and in the Psalms, we encounter some of the most angry writing in all of Scripture, and much of it is directed at God. The Psalmists had raw emotions and were not afraid to vent at God. If you ever feel like yelling at God, I highly recommend you read some of the Psalms and yell at God along with the Psalmists.
Yelling at God reveals Honesty
God wants to be with us in our pain and anger, especially if He is the one who caused it. This is because going to God when we are angry and frustrated at life and at Him is an indication of our love for Him.
So are you angry at God? Are you angry about something he allowed to happen in your life?
Go ahead. Yell at God. Curse if you have to. There is nothing you can say that God hasn’t heard already… It’s not like God has virgin ears. Tell God your blasphemous thoughts. You have permission to be honest with God about your thoughts and your feelings.
God always prefers angry honesty over the sullen silent treatment. So yell away.
In my own experience, after I have yelled at God, I have often “felt” His arms around me afterward, saying, “Thank you for letting it all out. I was waiting for you to be honest with me. Now, let’s talk about it…”
What is your experience with yelling at God? Have you ever done it? How did you feel afterward? Did Christians condemn you for doing so? Did God? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Here, three years later, a comment. When a friend was in a car accident, I felt moved to write her, “It’s OK to be mad at God. It’s normal, it’s human. Tell Him how you feel.” She wrote back that she was surprised, that no one else had given her that sort of advice. I wish I’d known to tell her about the Psalms. You’ve armed me for the future, Jeremy. Thank you. Great analogy: parenting and our own relationship with God. Puts it in perspective especially for those raised with a view of God as the distant Almighty.
I forgot I had even made this post. Thanks for reminding me of it. I’m glad it was helpful, and that you were there for your friend.
Oh the value of that little yellow chubby American. Homer Simpson. In a few episodes he stood shaking his fists in the air at God. Love it! And it was probably because the pious Ned flanders pissed him off about something. Lol lol lol. Echo,s of some of life, s great truths on that wee program. Have you got that book in your collection Jeremy? It’s called the gospel according to the Simpson,s.
I yelled at God, now I am filled with shame!!
Donna
I was angry last night too. I blamed Him for everything. I prayed for forgiveness today because i was overcome with sadness. I know He forgives us, but it’s just that we cant do things like that. However, i do agree with Jeremy, that there is a certain honesty about it. That’s the only good thing in my opinion.
I truly agree with you Jeremy. If God created us in HIS own image, He must be hurting when we turn away from Him when things dont go our way.
Yes. I think that our turning away from God hurts us in more ways that we know, and this hurts God more than we can imagine.
So I know this was a billion years ago when you wrote this, but I just read it today because I yelled at God today and now I feel bad. I have already apologized to him and asked his forgiveness. Thank you for this because it is still helping people many years later. Praise our loving understanding God for not turning away when I was so loud and angry with him.
I needed this post. Thank you…
Thank you for your article ! I yelled at God & felt awful as if I’d be punished for yelling my pain. Your writing reminded me God understands
Yes, God understands. It is the same way you and I understand when a child yells at us. God still loves you, accepts you, and will be with you through your hurt and your pain.
Well, I just had a meltdown at work because I went to have a quick prayer in the bathroom (private bathroom stalls so no one could hear) but I ended up yelling at him because I am upset but soon as I got back to my desk I just started crying so hard because I really love him and I feel bad for yelling but yet I’m just overwhelmed with my job that I genuinely hate but he blessed me with this job 8 yrs ago. I’m so depressed. I never yelled at God before. I feel so ungrateful but I still hate my job no less.
I yelled at God yesterday, and I have so much guilt. The things that are happening in my life right now are my own fault, the responsibility for this one particular thing lays squarely at my feet. I took my punishment and have waited so long for things to be right and I finally thought it was. Then boom I am broadsided with more problems from it that honestly should not be… since this incident I have tried my very best to be closer to God and do his will. I am even in school for Christian studies so I can help others to know the Lord, I felt so angry that I have tried so hard and now will have to go through more troubles, when I need to move on and this situation is hampering my progression.
I yelled and swore and I have such guilt. I Love God and asked for forgiveness already but I am heavy at heart as I know he loves me and has blessed me in so many ways..
Thank you for writing this – I needed to hear it.
Thank you for posting this Jeremy…I had a major anger meltdown yesterday and raged at God…I’m not proud of myself and while I still feel I was wrong to do this, I’m thankful for coming across your post to assure me that God still understands and loves me even if my actions were far from lovable…
I am very glad this post helped you. God thanks you for being honest with Him. It is one way to show you love Him, when you feel “safe” enough to yell at Him. He is not hurt, offended, or angry. Keep the lines of communication open!
I really find this helpful. I should tell God how I really feel, but I’ve always been trying to hide it.
Thank you for writing this – I have been yelling at God today – I am so mad at Him for something He lead me to do but now Izam in the desert instead of the paradise He promised. I have been waiting and waiting but He keeps me in the same place and I finally blew up today bad. I love God but I do not understand Him sometimes.
This is partly why I’m angry at Him too. I feel crazy sometimes b/c I have these rageful fits at God and then later apologize b/c I feel like I need Him and all I know is to come back to Him. Inhave said awfulnthubhs to Him, even using profanity. I try to spend tike woth Him, but feel dry and distant from Him. I’ve been thinking of spiritual counseling b_c I’ve been struggling with anger for awhike b/c of what seems to be continual hard circumstances and His silence and seeming distance. I try dancing, but I’ve been feeling loke I shouldn’t pray anymore and take some time apart.
Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I identify with your post.
I yelled at G-d today. I am end of the rope. Dangling. My grand son has AML. I can’t be with my son and grandson. My job is the job from hell. I feel trapped in a job because I feel like I have no place else to go with career. My mortgage is on the verge of foreclosure. I am broke. My car is 14 yrs old and I now have to drive 2 hrs to get to work. I work in the airline industry. I have been a flight attendant for 10 yrs just waiting to retire next year and the CEO files Chapter 11 and closes our base to try and get rid of senior flight attendants. We go through the transfer class from hell . It doesn’t end though, because everyone is displaced out of their home city. It’s depopulation in the airline industry. I need those travel benefits to get to Europe when I can, so I can be with my son and grandson. It’s only the reason I am staying in the airline. I wrote the CEO an email, telling him my situation, and he assigns troll of his to handle the situation. The CEO is a coward. He doesn’t have the guts to call me himself and even offer empathy.
You do not NEED to get to Europe. You WANT to get to Europe. Get your needs and wants straight. You bought too much house, your costs are too high. You NEED to find another job. Just because God found you a great job does NOT mean it will be the right job forever. Read the writing on the wall. It could not be clearer. Find another job which does not wear out your car and your spirit. Your fear of change is what is damaging you. God is waiting for you to realize it. The CEO may have no better choices before them than you have before you. Get some perspective. Take responsibility for your decisions and their outcome.
Are you the CEO, Chuck? Your reply is judgemental, harsh, demeaning and compassionless. You make it sound so simple. Be careful how you judge others. Thankfully, you’re not God.
Today I just found out that I didn’t pass my class and so I yelled at GOD and now I feel so bad that I should not have yelled at him, or I will be punished because I yelled and that’s when I came across this article and this article made me realize that we are GODs children and GOD will forgive whatever we do just because GOD loves each one of us.
I’ve yelled at him, I’ve cursed him for thrusting me into this rotten shit hole. And I’ve called him names fit for a pig. Now I’m done with him! I want nothing more to do with him.
I’m so sorry, Loren. I feel your pain. I’m watching my little child try to fight aggressive stage 4 cancer. I feel that my world might end if she dies since she’s my only precious little one.
My only reply is that even if you’re done with God, He’s not done with you. Wherever you go, He’ll go there with you.
I yell and curse God often. I try to run from Him but I always come back.
Thanks jeremy for writing such a nice post bro. Even i yelled at god yesterday , i was very depressed because of the things happening in life and the unending struggles whom i ve always fought by the power blessed by god . But from a few days i was really feeling bad and my faith and trust was starting to shake and thats the reason i shouted at god . I cried because i could not see mu trust and faith shattering like this , i Love him and dint wanted to loose him. But he did something which made me realize that he always hears and answers. Yes you are right , like our parents he knows how to keep us calm and boost us in what way so that we can face this life and fight it .
I feel that God hates me. He never comforts me, EVER!! I yell and curse at Him daily. All my life, growing up, I had to suppress my feelings. Now, I yell at God for everything that goes wrong in my life. I want a real relationship with Him. I have prayed and prayed to no avail. All He ever does is ignore me, which is what my mother was great at doing. Why even bother if all I get is ignored. This is why I have taken to yelling at Him, but, still I get ignored.
I was a real mess all of my life yet always laughed and I always had faith that things would get better if they were worse. My thought was every time a wall blocked me, like the threat of losing my job or my home, etc. Hey, I started with nothing and got this far, if God can help me then, he can help me again and again. People in my life really hurt me and I started watching; Joyce Meyer and Dr. Phil that tears ran down my eyes when they say; God loves you. The whole world could be against me but I take comfort in knowing that God sees what they do to me. To this day I do not believe in forgiving but I will never let them steal my joy and my faith. My spouse says what you do, all the time and I point out when good things happen but they don’t see it, so I hope that some day you and my spouse will see the good that does happen.
Is it better to yell or utter GOD has given up on me?
Hi, While I enjoyed your article here, I wish to point out in regards to your remark about how God is the cause of our anger. Brother, this is not so! This would indicate that God did something “wrong”. He is PERFECT and NEVER does any wrong. He also instructs us to “Not provoke your children to anger” – and He will uphold His word as well. Please, I encourage you to read the Bible daily – old and new testament. Spend at least an hour each day contemplating the life of Jesus.
I respectfully disagree b/c there is scripture says about God: “For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.” (Job 5:18) , southern research biblical proof that God Himself will allow hurt towards us.
I have the patience of a saint. And I pray and have a lot of faith. But when I don’t get the thing I want over and over again I become angry. I swear and shake my fiats just as I would to any human being. Though I don’t mean it I need to let God know how upset I am. I still thank Him for the good things.
Thank you for this article. I am, and my mom is also, going through some really difficult times, and it sure seems like God either is not answering, or is teasing us with His answers. My mom definitely has more faith than I do, and doesn’t believe at all that God is teasing us. But I see it that way, and get angry at God over this. In fact, I yelled at Him earlier today, to the point where I imagined grabbing the sides of His beard, pulling His face close to mine, and crying and yelling in His face. I never feel good afterwards, though, and I try not to curse Him, for fear of Him rejecting me. I never know what His reaction is to my crying and angry outbursts, though. What would His reaction be like at what I imagined during my outburst earlier today?
It’s a difficult time period for me. Since Childhood I have been beaten, raped, tied to chair and locked in a dark bathroom for a few days by my bio father and then the older kids at orphanage. That was my childhood. I got adopted by a loving father. But because of everything trust was never a thing. Show a smile to the enemy so they don’t know you’re suffering. But through my life not much happiness. Mostly pain. I’ve been screaming, and cursing and using the bible itself to prove God’s cruelty to his face. Was I balasfis yes. Did I have reason. Yes. I have been cold for most of my life. But recently I couldn’t handle it anymore my heart was filled was ice. But I want to expriance love is what I said to him. Then I blamed him for not giving me any reason to live. God started a fire. And as it was melting, I puked it on God. I am greatful for the softening of my heart. As well as today’s lesson on how to be a father.
I watch Dr. Phil a lot on t.v. So many people came on the show and said all the abuse they got and still came out not hating others. Dr. Phil would say, go to a Cancer ward in a hospital and see the hope in the chidlren’s eyes as they are soon going to die. Dr. Phil said, you won’t feel sorry for yourself after that. I’ve met so many people that had bad things happen to them as well and my own problems seem so small after hearing there’s and yours. It’s like Dr. Phil says; we can’t change what happened in the past but we can sure change the future, starting right now.
I… really needed to hear this. Thank you.
Yesterday was a really hard day. it was my 9th day at work and I was tarnished and battered. On the 9th day it just felt like nothing was going right.
Work was long and it wasn’t enjoyable.
I had to run to the post office to grab keys for my new home but I didn’t have proof other than my ID so they wouldn’t let me get the keys. Then I wanted a refreshing soda and then the place I went to next to my house was all out of my regular soda.
I know that’s incredibly first world problems and others have it much worse than I do. I got home and just starting screaming and telling God I hate him and how much of a terrible day it was. I had had Enough.
I blamed God for my pain and my anger.
After getting all my emotions out.
All of a sudden I felt a strange peace.
I felt relaxed and warm. I then apologized to God for what I had said and the rest of my day was sunshine and roses.
I believe that God would rather us yell at him than our friends, family, and spouses.
Some people might think you’re crazy and that’s alright. But God would rather us do this then anything else.