“Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?” [Psalm 44:24]
HAVE YOU EVER FOUND YOURSELF resenting God for allowing a person to manipulate or mistreat you, for not stepping in and helping you avoid disaster, for not sparing you the consequences of what seemed like an innocent mistake? Undoubtedly, you have faced circumstances where you found God’s ways inexplicable at best or even disturbing. There are those who would suggest that part of the healing involved in moving beyond these hurtful events is to forgive God for the part He played in this.
But think about that. Us? Forgive God? As though He had wronged us and needed pardon. To think we possess this kind of power over the righteous, sovereign God is to demean Him and to inflate our importance.
No, God doesn’t need forgiveness from us. He is never guilty of making mistakes. In fact, the thing you may consider a cruel injustice on His part may actually turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you. It can—by the Father’s all-wise grace—be transformed for your good, for His glory, and for the advance of His eternal kingdom.
So I ask you to look again into the heart of God, seeing someone who has a deeper, more loving plan for your life than you could ever figure out on your own, even if you find yourself in the midst of deep pain. He will use this disappointment, this heartbreak, this unspeakable circumstance to teach you, train you, and fulfill His holy, eternal purposes for your life. The alternative—bitterness or anger against God—can do nothing but make things worse and further delay your healing.
How can you tell when legitimate, transparent honesty before God has morphed into sinful anger and “demandingness” toward God? Are you anywhere near that line? [Faith That Matters]
