Blaming God for Suffering: How to Release Offense
A curtain of stratus clouds shrouds the sun, and morning finds us with hoary light. As I gaze out the window, I remember a similar morning years ago. It was the morning I decided I was never again blaming God for allowing suffering or difficulty in my life.
I told him that I would never again take offense, blame him, or hold it against him when trouble came into my life.
Blaming God for Hard Times
I made the commitment at the end of a long season in which everything seemed to be going wrong. Within the span of three months, both our young pet beagles died suddenly; our financial situation suddenly became unstable; my husband was diagnosed with a life-long medical condition; and I faced a serious health scare.
After months of stress and worry—when I felt like I couldn’t take one more crisis—I told God how I felt. I complained. I told him it was all unfair and held nothing back.
I also asked God what he wanted me to know about our troubling series of events. Much to my disappointment, God seemed silent, and I had no sense of his presence with me. I knew he hadn’t abandoned me, but it sure felt like it. When I needed him most, there was no sign that he even heard my prayers.
Several days later, I opened my Bible, and the bookmarked page led me to Matthew 11. After reading the passage about John the Baptist being sent to prison and questioning whether Jesus was the Messiah, the following words seemed to leap off the page: “And blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Matthew 11:6, ESV).
I knew God was giving me a choice. I could hold a grudge while blaming him for the trials he’d permitted in my life, or I could choose to trust him, soften my heart, and resist offense.
Trusting God or Blaming God?
It didn’t happen immediately, but I spent the following weeks asking God to help me trust him with our challenging circumstances. Every day, when worried thoughts came into my mind, I repeated the words of Isaiah 26:3, which reads, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (NIV).
Over time, by standing on God’s Word instead of listening to my feelings, I gradually released the offense I’d been holding onto. I stopped blaming God for our circumstances.
In the meantime, I realized that Satan’s primary goal throughout our challenging season was to lead me to take offense toward God. If I hardened my heart toward God, Satan won the battle. By being angry with God instead of being angry with Satan, I was directing my anger and offense in the wrong direction.
At that time, I made a commitment to never again hold onto offense toward God for allowing trouble in my life. I had no way of knowing that my commitment would change the way I dealt with trials and challenges for the rest of my life.
When life hurts, it’s tempting to hold onto offense toward God and others. Sadly, an offended heart quickly becomes a hard heart, and hard hearts always hinder the healing process.
If we are going to grow through life’s challenges, we need tender and teachable hearts. Otherwise, our hearts won’t be ready to receive the truth God wants to reveal as we grow.
When Suffering Comes
We live in a world in which a very real enemy prowls around, looking for people to devour. Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
If you are experiencing grief, destruction, or loss, this is the result of Satan’s work, not God’s work. One day, God will destroy Satan. Until then, rather than blaming God for allowing Satan to steal, kill, and destroy, turn to God in life’s challenging moments. He fights for you. He is your Healer and Deliverer.
As you process life’s painful situations, ask God to help you keep a malleable heart. Additionally, I challenge you to consider making the same commitment I made years ago. Will you commit to never again blaming God when trouble comes? If you can make this commitment, the rejections of life will soon become foundations for tremendous growth.
Has Jesus failed to show up according to your expectations? Have you taken offense and rejected him because you don’t understand his ways?
I’m writing these words with compassion and empathy. I know how it feels to hold onto hope and end up with a shattered heart. I also know that Jesus is the only source of healing. When we turn away from Jesus, we turn away from our hope of healing that lasts.
Two Questions to Ask About Blaming God for Trouble and Suffering
1. Have you been blaming God for suffering in any areas of your life?
2. Jesus is inviting you to make a life-changing commitment to him today. Will you commit to never again blaming God in anger when you don’t understand his ways? If you don’t feel ready to make this commitment, ask him to help you grow in trust. He will answer your prayer.
Will you commit to never again blaming God in anger when you don’t understand his ways? #trustGod #faith Share on X
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If this post encouraged you, I invite you to explore our family devotionals and library of free online devotionals and eBooks below. May you experience God’s healing as you draw near to him with a soft heart.
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional Book for You
Set Free: Let God Do What You Cannot explores ten realms in which most of us need God to work in our lives and bring deliverance. We’ll talk about finding freedom from fear, worry, insecurity, bad habits, emotional pain, and more. This short online devotional will bless you as you let God accomplish what you’ve been unable to achieve through willpower.
Get your download for free with promo code GRACE here or for a suggested donation of 3.99.
I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
