The Power Text: Part 2
I AM MAD….
When I read powerful Bible verses like Psalm 91, sometimes… I get angry.
This passage is full of so many promises about who God is, what he promises and how he longs to protect us and keep us close.
Read Psalm 91 now.,
Who do you see in the text?
And be honest! Are there any times that you felt like God was not your shelter or refuge, he didn’t protect you from the pestilence or evil or send his angels to guard you on your way?
Because I do… and it makes me angry. My heart cries out, “Where were you God?!”
Recently, I had felt like I heard God’s voice telling me we were going to adopt. I got excited and prayed regularly telling God I trusted him and standing on the promise I felt like I heard from him. Then the day came and it didn’t happen… I was so angry.
As I prayed, I would yell out “God I am mad at you!” and I felt like I heard him whisper back, “do you believe I am good?” to which I would respond “yes I do, I know you are good but I am mad!” Then a whisper came again, “you can’t believe I am good and be mad at me.” Of course, my initial bratty response was “oh yeah, watch me?!”
When I thought about those words, I realized my short sided view. If God is good, he is good all the time.
When things are going well and when they are not- GOD IS GOOD.
His ability to see the whole picture is so much bigger than ours. He can literally take the very worst thing that has ever happened to you and use it to save a nation. That is what he did for Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers leading to a chain of events that kept seemingly getting worse and worse. One bad circumstance after another finally put him in the position as second in command over the most powerful nation in the world where he could save his family and the future of God’s chosen people Israel. When his brothers were scared of what Joseph might do to them because of what they had done, he responded, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” in Genesis 50:20.
When God promises in Romans 8:28 that, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God,*who are called according to his purpose,” he meant it. He can take every single heartache big and small and he can do the impossible with them.
But to clarify- just because he can turn the bad into good doesn’t mean the arrows don’t hurt.
In Psalms 91, he promises to be our shelter, but he doesn’t say the arrows won't still be shot at us. The hard times will come and when they do- run to the father. The good father that holds you when you cry.
My kids are getting older now so they don’t run to me crying as much as they used to. But yesterday at baseball practice, my son got hit right in the eye with a ball and he ran to me. What do you think I did? Do you think I said “get yourself together” or “go over there and cry!” No, I opened my arms and held him close.
When you are hurting- you always have someone to run to and just like I love to hold my son to comfort him, God loves to hold you.
Run to him and be real about your hurt.
Don’t shy away, don't hide your anger or your tears. He can take it and he is the only one who can fix it.
God tells us how he feels about us in the end of Psalms 91, he says, ““Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
So my question for you today-
Is there any area you are hurting and afraid to bring it to God?
Is there any area where you don’t trust him and honestly don’t want to?
Scripture tells us who He is- He is a good God… today chose to believe Him. Take him your hurts and trust Him to hold you.
