Why We Blame God When Bad Things Happen
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When things don’t go your way or life takes a turn for the worse, do you ever find yourself on your knees asking, ‘Why, God?’
Whether it’s a lost job, a broken relationship, or illness, it’s easy to point a finger at God when things go wrong. As Christians, why do we try to blame the very One who loves us most? In this article, we’ll dig into why we blame God, how it affects our faith, and what Scripture says about turning our pain into trust. If you’ve ever struggled with this, you’re not alone, and today we’re finding answers together.
Expecting a Trouble-Free Life
As humans, we learn to make the best of our circumstances. Unfortunately, we still want to blame others when things don’t go our way. This is true for both believers and non-believers.
Many Christians expect life to be easy because they believe that God’s presence in their lives should automatically translate to a smooth path. This is a result of either their misinterpretation of the Bible or someone outright lied, promising rainbows and unicorns once they believed.
Therefore, when hardship comes, disappointment leads to questioning God’s goodness. In John 16:33, Jesus says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus isn’t telling us that life will be smooth sailing once we believe. Rather, He says the opposite, “You will have trouble.”
But He doesn’t leave it there either. He goes on to tell us to believe and trust in Him. In John 4, Jesus, speaking to the Samaritan woman, said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.” – John 4:13-14
God is on your side. He wants to help you, not hurt you. And He loves you more than any earthly father ever could. More often than not, the problems we encounter in life result from our decisions. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is not a reason to blame someone else. We still decided to be there. So, if anyone’s to blame, it’s the person in the mirror.
Shifting Responsibility
Since time began, humanity has tried to shift blame onto others. Take Adam’s response in Genesis 3, after he took the fruit from Eve and ate it. He said, “The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” – Genesis 3:12
It’s so much easier to blame someone else for life’s unpleasantries. But we ought not to forget the saying, you point a finger at someone else, you have three pointing back at you.
For non-believers and many believers, it’s easy to blame God. You’ve heard it said, “Why would a good God let bad things happen to good people?”
And when prosperity preachers come and spread a false gospel, it makes people want to blame God for their lack of success. One of those charlatans might say, “If you believe you will receive.” Interpretation: if you’re not receiving either, you’re not believing enough, or God isn’t able. Either is wrong.
My brother is one such victim of these lies. For years, he’s blamed God for his girlfriend’s mental instability, for a near-fatal car accident he was in as a child, and for just about everything that’s gone wrong in his life.
It’s easy to blame someone who can’t speak for themselves. It’s even easier when you don’t believe in them. Perhaps that’s why most people curse using either God’s or Jesus’ name.
Our very nature is to deflect responsibility when things don’t go our way. Blaming God gives us a way to shift the responsibility for our circumstances onto someone or something else.
Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
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God’s Plan vs. Our Plan
Have you ever thought you put together an ironclad plan only to have it fall apart? Did you blame someone else for it? If so, why? Perhaps it was an act of nature or an individual who rained on your parade. Either way, that simply means you didn’t foresee the incident happening and subsequently didn’t plan accordingly.
We can’t see the future. Tomorrow is a mystery to us, but not God. He knows your past, present, and future. His ways are far superior to ours. We choose our way because of our need for control. To most, faith is not a plan.
When our plans don’t come to fruition, it can feel like God is letting us down. But His ways and timing are always higher than ours.
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” – Isaiah 55:8-9
Just because things don’t work out according to plan doesn’t mean it wasn’t a success. And it doesn’t mean God failed us. Whether we can see it or not, His plan will always be greater than ours.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10
Emotional Response in Suffering
Has someone ever said something to you that hurt your feelings? Did you have a knee-jerk reaction and insult or try to hurt them back? For some of us, that’s a natural response we have to work hard to overcome.
That’s why so many hurting people, even Christians, will blame God as a knee-jerk reaction. We desire answers and to hold someone accountable. Therefore, blaming God becomes an emotional response to suffering.
But they only do this to the God of the Bible. You never hear of people blaming Allah, Rah, Baal, or any of the other man-made gods. Why? Because even non-believers know the God of the Bible exists whereas the others don’t.
“For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 19 since what can be known about God is evident among them because God has shown it to them.” – Romans 1:18-19
In other words, God has made Himself known to us. Non-believers (a misnomer) try to suppress the truth by choosing not to believe in His existence.
Nevertheless, both Christians and non-Christians might blame God for their suffering as a way to cope.
The Old Testament provided an example of a man who suffered greatly. And many around him, including his wife, wanted him to blame God for it. In his response, he asked, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” – Job 2:10
Even in his suffering, Job reminded his wife that we cannot just accept the blessings from God without acknowledging that life will also bring trials. Blaming God for suffering often arises from our need to make sense of things that seem unfair.
When we experience moments of deep pain, it’s human to want answers and accountability. Blaming God becomes an emotional response to suffering, a way we mistakenly try to cope with hurt and confusion.
The Danger of Bitterness
People who habitually blame God for difficulties will develop bitterness in their hearts. This creates a perceived chasm between them and God.
Rather than turning to Him in times of need, they allow anger to cause the separation. Over time, it spills into the horizontal relationships we have with others. This will turn into a dangerous cycle that will lead them further and further away from the peace God offers to those who believe.
“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” – Hebrews 12:15
Blaming God for difficulties can lead to bitterness and distance in our relationship with Him. Instead of turning to Him for comfort, we allow anger to build a wall.
Blame or Trust: A Choice
Do you ever look at a sturdy chair and question whether or not to sit down on it? For most of us, the answer is no. We trust that the chair will hold us.
What if the chair has a weight limit that you exceeded? Would you blame it if it collapsed once you sat down? Personally, I wouldn’t take the chance. I’d trust the manufacturer who determined the limits of the chair.
In the same way, we have a choice in the different circumstances we face in life. Do we blame God for our circumstances or trust that He’ll help us get through them?
Like the chair, trusting God requires faith. The difference is that we can see the chair and feel the effects immediately. We can’t always see God working in and through us.
The Old Testament speaks of a young boy who was sold into slavery by his brothers. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him. Some wanted to kill him, but his eldest brother convinced the others that they should sell him into slavery and tell their father he was killed by a wild animal.
He could’ve blamed God for what happened, but Joseph chose to trust God. When he was sold into slavery by his brothers, he trusted God. When his master’s wife had him thrown into prison for not falling for her seduction, he trusted God. And when he was appointed by Pharoah to hold the second-highest position in all of Egypt, he trusted God.
Regardless of our circumstances, we have a choice: blame or trust God.
When the famine hit the land, his father and brothers went to Egypt for help. Because Joseph was in such a high position, he was able to help them. He was able to do this because he trusted that God was at work behind the scenes.
When we saw his brothers again, he said to them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” – Genesis 50:20
Joseph’s story teaches us that even when life seems unfair, God is at work for good. We can choose to trust God’s goodness over our circumstances. Which is a better strategy than trying to blame Him for our misfortunes?
God Can Handle Your Questions
Lastly, it’s important to know that God is not intimidated by our questions, doubts, or frustrations.
Have you ever heard it said, “The only stupid question is the one not asked”? It comes from a human perception, but we like it because it makes sense.
God’s not afraid of your questions. He already knows the answer before you ask it.
“When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him.” – Matthew 6:7-8
The Psalms are full of examples of people pouring out their pain to God. Rather than running from Him, we can bring our grievances to Him in prayer.
“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” – Psalm 13:1
Psalm 13 was written by King David. He was known as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22).
David wasn’t afraid to ask hard questions. God invites us to do the same because He wants a relationship with us. We should remember to turn to Him in our pain rather than turn away.
Conclusion:
Blaming God for our struggles is a common human reaction, but it’s also a barrier to the deeper relationship He wants with us. By understanding His sovereignty, trusting His plan, and honestly bringing our pain to Him, we can move from blame to faith.
Remember, God is big enough to handle our questions, and He’s always working for our good, even when life doesn’t make sense. So next time you’re tempted to say, ‘Why, God?’ lean into Him instead.
If you found value in this article, consider reading Conflict Resolution for Couples: Practical Tips for Lasting Peace.
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