Is it a sin to be angry with God? Anger can be a startling emotion, especially when it’s aimed toward your maker. But if you’ve ever felt angry with God, you’re not alone. Many teens wrestle with anger when life gets tough, uncomfortable, or painful. King David wrestled with anger toward God many times in the Bible. Anger is a natural emotion.
So what’s a Christian teen to do about it?
Unlike AI, I am not going to tell you it’s okay to be angry with God. (Yet another reason why I warn against seeking spiritual advice from chatbots.) Because it’s not.
Anger toward God is sin.
But stick with me! In this post, I’ll tell you how to handle your anger so that your relationship with God grows stronger, your faith more resilient, and you find the peace that transcends all understanding.
Anger is not the end.
Hey, I’m Lauren, author of YA Christian fiction and blogger for teens with higher aim.
In This Article
Where Tragedy Strikes, Anger Rises
This topic had been on my writing schedule for several weeks when, out of the blue, the beloved wife of an esteemed youth minister in my town passed away. This woman wasn’t just loved by her husband and young children, she was loved by the teens her husband ministered to, many of whom she mentored one-on-one. A lot of people experienced strong emotions over her death, not the least of which was anger.
Why, in a world where there aren’t enough great Christian mentors for teens, would God take one away so suddenly? Why would he make a little boy and girl live without their mother? If he’s so sovereign, couldn’t he have stopped whatever medical mystery caused her untimely death?
These are the questions that breed anger. It happened on a much larger scale in September of 2025 with the high-profile assassination of Christian activist Charlie Kirk. Charlie was doing great things for the world. And God was there the day he died. He saw when the shooter put his finger on the trigger. He didn’t stop him.
Cue the anger.
You hear stories like this all the time. Maybe you even have a parallel experience, which is why you’re skimming this post on what to do when you’re angry with God. So let’s get to the root of the problem.
What Causes Us to be Angry With God?
People living comfortable lives of abundance aren’t the ones struggling with anger toward God. So, you might be ready to conclude that tragedy and suffering are the culprits. But those are merely the triggering events. Anger toward God stems from deeper misconceptions, such as:
- Wrong impression of life: the expectation that it should be easy and pain-free.
- Wrong impression of self: the expectation that we deserve to be sheltered from unpleasant circumstances.
- Wrong impression of God: the expectation that He will spare us from all pain and tragedy.
- Too little trust: failing to recognize the extent of God’s sovereignty and ability to control circumstances.
- Frustration over our inability to control circumstances.
I frequently tell my sons, “Maybe life wouldn’t be so hard if you didn’t expect it to be so easy.” While that might be a bit harsh for the pain you’re dealing with right now, it makes a point: We get angry with God when he doesn’t live up to our expectations, whether or not they are correct.
So what are the correct expectations we should have for God?
The Defining Characteristics of God
To know what to expect of God, you have to know God. Thankfully, he tells us everything we need to grasp in His Word.
God is in control.
Everything that happens is indeed either caused or allowed by God. He didn’t kill Charklie Kirk, but he allowed it. As Jesus said in Matthew 10:29-31, He watches over every sparrow. He knows every hair on your head. Nothing escapes His divine eye. So he’ll never claim ignorance when something goes wrong on earth.
And I’m glad. Who wants to serve a deity who is only powerful and knowledgeable some of the time? But on that note, it’s easy to become angry with God when you know he could have stopped something from happening.
Which brings us to the next point.
God loves you.
God’s love for you is written all over the Bible. Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” 1 John 4:10 says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” And Psalm 103:8 says, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”
Still not convinced? Check out my post How to Really, Truly Know God Loves You.
God wants what’s best for you.
The Bible makes it clear that God’s love translates to him doing what’s best for you. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Perhaps most famously, Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
This is a big hang-up for many people. How is losing a best friend to a car accident, or receiving a terminal diagnosis, “best” for you? That’s where the next point is so important.
God sees the big picture that we can’t see.
While many people quote Jeremiah 29:11 as proof that God only wants good things for us, they forget that the Israelites were living in exile because of their sin when he spoke these words to them. I doubt any of them would call that a good thing!
Nowhere in the Bible does God promise you an easy, pain-free life. We live in a world broken by our own sin. So Jeremiah 29:11 (and similar verses) aren’t promises of an easy path, but a reminder that God’s plan is ultimately good. His desire is for you to spend eternity with him in heaven, and everything he does or allows is meant to strengthen your faith and bring you closer to that goal.
Check out my post Faith Over Fear: “I Am NOT Afraid of Bad News.”
Related: Check out this examination of Jeremiah 29:11 from Biola University.
Are You Angry With God? He Understands
So, is it ok to be angry with God?
Anger toward God is never justified (for all of the above reasons), but that doesn’t mean you must hide it. God knows your heart and your thoughts before you do. It’s pointless to pretend and give him the cold shoulder the way you might your boyfriend or best friend when you’re mad at them.
You can be real with God. King David was very real in Psalm 13:
“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?”
Psalm 13:1-2
Anger is natural, but unfortunate because no one loves you more than God, and anger is the wedge Satan drives between the two of you. Anger separates you from the joy and peace found only through Christ, leaving you bitter and resentful.
So if you want to be angry at someone, direct it toward Satan. Or, better yet, let go of the anger altogether and embrace a more powerful emotion.
From Anger to Praise
It’s an interesting phenomenon, but every time David begins a psalm in anger, he ends with praise. Look at the last two verses of Psalm 13:
“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.”
Psalm 13:5-6
And again in Psalm 42:
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”
Psalm 42:11
Whether or not he meant to do this, many of David’s psalms follow a healthy progression of anger. He expresses it, rather than suppressing or ignoring it, then recognizes God’s love, goodness, and purpose for his life, which eventually leads to praise.
If you’re feeling angry with God right now, move through the emotion without clinging to it, then follow David’s example and let it go.
What To Do When You Are Angry With God
I’m going to lay out a few practical steps for you to follow, but keep in mind that this is not a quick fix. Sometimes, you might be able to move through these quickly. In other instances, moving from anger to praise could take weeks—or longer.
Do a reality check.
Remember that life on earth was never meant to be easy. Take a lesson from Job. He knew well the reality of living in a sinful world:
“Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.”
Job 5:7
“Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble.”
Job 14:1
Get to know God better.
The way to do this is to read your Bible. Recognize his divine attributes of love, mercy, kindness, goodness, righteousness, justice, and holiness. The better you know God, the less likely you are to be angry with him, both now and in the future.
Start with these 10+ Bible Passages for When God Seems Distant and Aloof.
Talk to him.
People who are angry with God tend to give him the cold shoulder, which is exactly what you shouldn’t do. Go to him in prayer. Confess any bitterness and resentment, then release them to him. Be sure to use all the different types of prayer, as spelled out in How To Have a Richer Prayer Life By Friday.
Turn your trust to him.
God will give you the peace and strength you need to get through any situation. Try memorizing one of the verses from Where to Look in Scripture During Your Darkest Nights.
Related: God is Still Good, Even When I’m Hurting
Praise him!
There is so much freedom in praising God instead of being angry with him. Check out From Silence to Song: How to Find Your Heart of Praise.
Bible Verses For When You Are Angry With God
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:27
“My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.”
James 1:19-20
“Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity.”
Ephesians 4:26-27
Check out this free, printable Bible study from Janel Breitenstein to help you heal and overcome your anger with God.
How to Help Someone Who Is Angry With God
What if it’s not you but a friend or family member who is struggling with anger toward God? In addition to sharing this post with them, use these steps:
- Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 and be reminded that God has equipped you to comfort others.
- Be a friend first. Don’t immediately hit her with scripture. A little empathy can go a long way.
- Listen to his complaints—for real. What are the questions he’s asking—and the ones he’s not saying out loud? Hone your listening skills with my post How to Be A Good Listener (And a Better Evangelist!).
- Help her recognize the distinction between desires and demands (the point where wanting to have a good life becomes a demand for a good life).
- Help him replace those expectations with reality. Start with Proverbs 16:9 and Proverbs 20:24.
- Look up the abovementioned “Bible verses for when you are angry with God” with her.
- Help him see how his anger with God is due to weaknesses and gaps in his faith, and that trials are a chance for his faith to grow and those weaknesses to be refined and closed up.
- Remind her that she is designed for a lasting relationship with God.
And remember: These steps might not happen all at once, but over time. The important thing is to strike a balance between empathy and encouraging your friend to move on from her anger.
Moving On
When good things happen, we take credit for them. Achievement and success are the product of good training, hard work, and dedication, right? But when bad things happen, we blame God. This is backwards. The good things come from God, and the bad things are caused by our sin.
Yes, it is wrong to be angry with God, but like any emotion, anger needs to move through a natural course so you can release it. If you daily surrender to God’s will, faithfully study His Word, spend time in all the different kinds of prayer, and apply what you learn to your life, your anger will pass and your faith will mature, making it easier to trust Him the next time tragedy strikes.
You don’t have to have all the answers.
But, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
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Thank you to the reader who suggested this topic! If you have a topic you’d like covered on my blog, contact me here.