It's OK To Be Mad

I cry aloud to the LORD;
   I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
   before him I tell my trouble. – Psalm 142: 1-2

Today’s Reading: Psalms 140-142; 1 Corinthians 14:1-20

I remember when I was younger I got the impression that I had to censor myself to God. God was this big ominous entity and I had to tread lightly. I had to do my best not to piss him off or risk incurring his wrath.

One of the sad side effects of this was that I didn’t have a meaningful relationship with Him.

Reading the Psalms has reinforced in me is the kind of relationship that God wants to have with us. There are Psalms of joy and thanksgiving; but there are also Psalms of pain, anger, and regret. Some of the Psalmists are none to pleased with God and are holding His foot to the fire with their expectations of deliverance.

I believe that God wants us to take this kind of license with him. Our relationship with God should be like any other healthy relationship. We need to communicate freely. It’s not like God doesn’t already know how you feel so why are you frontin’?

Keep it real.

What I have found in my short journey is that the more real I am, the more open I am to receive whatever message I am looking for. When I close up and hold back the things that I want to say a domino effect ensues. The first thing that happens is that I start praying the same things over and over again. (I mean really how many times can you say The Lord’s Prayer or pray for the well being of family and friends?) Next thing I know several days or weeks have passed where I haven’t prayed at all.

It’s not as if God has gone anywhere, but rather I was the one who shut down the pathways of communication.

So if you are mad at God and want to tell him off I say do it! I’m sure you will be sorry about it later if you crossed the line. You can repent at that time. It is better to vent your frustrations and possibly say something that you shouldn’t have said than to say nothing at all.

The secret to a fulfilling spiritual life is constant communication with God. If we stop talking it becomes all the more difficult to listen. 

Don't Kick A Brotha When He's Down

My spirit is broken,
       my days are cut short,
       the grave awaits me.

Surely mockers surround me;
       my eyes must dwell on their hostility. Job 17: 1-2

Today’s Reading: Job 17-19; Acts 10:1-23

Man…

Sorry Job… You’re really going through it.

But that second part is what really got me. My man Job doesn’t have the best company. For the last several chapters his friends have been doing everything but comforting him.

Ok fine, Job is questioning God… maybe that’s not the best thing. But come on now! Give dude a break. After all, he does have boils all over his body.

Initially they came and chilled with him quietly. But as Job started talking his friends spent more time telling him how he was wrong to question got, and how he was responsible for the calamity that has fallen upon him than they spent just being a good friend.

They transformed Job’s suffering into an opportunity to tell him what they were thinking.

Yes when we are in trouble it is good to have friends who will keep it real with us. Often times our trouble is self inflicted, and if we are unaware that this is the case a good friend is someone who will let us know.

But yo, don’t kick a brotha when he’s down.

Showing love is the same as any other form of communication. We must listen first, and then respond.

And in this situation Job’s friends responded based on what they were thinking about his words, rather than responding to the situation at hand.

Their friend was feeling defeated.

So next time you have a friend who comes to you with their struggles try to listen and console them first. Once they have been built up, then offer your opinion if they ask.

They will feel more loved if you do it this way.