Over the past forty-one years of pastoral ministry, I have dealt with many individuals who have found themselves mad a God because He was not performing up to their expectations. More times than not, further conversation revealed that the scrape that they were in was a result of their own doing, foolish choices, unresolved conflicts, and deliberate sin. And since all of these have consequences, these individuals were up to their eye balls in the consequences. Getting them to see this was another matter.

In my devotional reading this week, I came across the following passage from Proverbs 19:3, “When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.”

Isn’t that an incredible statement? Man is more prone to get mad at God when things in his life go sour than to search his own heart and see if there might be something that he has done to bring the calamity upon himself.

King David was one who asked God to search his heart. “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:22-24). And, on one occasion, when God answered that prayer, in repentance David prayed, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

So, if you ever come to the place where you are tempted to feel that God has let you down and you are tempted to rage against Him, take some time to search your own heart and see where you may have gotten off of God’s path for you. Then, humbly lay that before the Lord and ask Him, in His mercy will lead you on.

#WayneHoag #blamingGod #accountability