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Is God Really To Blame? - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) January 23, 2026

P L U N D E R E R
Jan 23
4 min read

Ever been mad at God and blamed Him for what you're going through? A lot of Christians have done this, and in a way, it is understandable. Think about it, the Lord says His plans for His people are good, right? So when things go wrong, it is easy to wonder if that's part of the good He promised.

This perspective may be too simplistic to understand the issue. Indeed, God has good plans for people (Jeremiah 29:11). However, many often ignore that God's good plans are tied to obedience to His commands. If someone chooses to disobey and live in continued and unrepentant sin, this can open the door for satan to influence their lives negatively and limit the Lord's influence.

You may be wondering how this is possible. How can Almighty God not have control over every area of our lives at all times? How can satan influence what happens to us?

It all boils down to the choices. Continuous and unrepentant sin tells God to lift His hand of protection off the person's life. It may not seem like that at first, but that is the cost of disobedience. The process could take a very long time and varies from person to person. God is patient and gives people time to repent and return to Him. If they choose otherwise, A Vashti line awaits, and over time, that choice can loosen God's protection.

This is what happened to the Israelites of old. They committed spiritual adultery, bowed to idols, and failed to maintain justice or love the Lord. It took a combined passage of 430 years before the Lord's judgment came into effect. And when it did, the people were carted off as captives to foreign lands.

Now, here's the tough question: whose fault was it that the Israelites of that age became a subjugated people? Was it God's fault or was someone else to blame? Nehemiah blamed himself and his people (Nehemiah 1:6). He also said in Nehemiah 1:7 - We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

I cannot disagree with this great man whom God trusted to help restore Jerusalem and teach His people. Yet, I daresay, there's another culprit to blame here - satan. The devil tempted the Israelites, making them think that obeying God was a burden. Just as it did with Eve in the garden, satan twisted the words of the Lord so the people no longer saw their sins as sins and even brought their idols into the Lord's holy Temple (Ezekiel 8).

Even now, the devil presents poison as sweetness. It lies profusely and does not hesitate to manipulate humans into sinfulness. It will discourage a person from repenting, lying that grace and heaven are unattainable. Meanwhile, Jesus came to guarantee freedom from sin for anyone who wants it. And the longer anyone stays away from the light of the Word of God and the fellowship of the brethren, those and other lies will have the upper hand (1 John 1:7).

And the person will experience difficulties that were never part of God's plan for them. Problems that were not designed to stretch them spiritually, so they grow in faith. Instead, these experiences will bring unnecessary chaos, grief, pain, and resentment toward God and others. Plus, because many Christians have been told that life with God will always be rosy and sweet, they ignore the fact that God never said so, and blame Him for what satan is doing to them.

The devil can only access a person's life if sin opens the door or, as was the case with Job, God permits challenges as a vehicle to double restoration and the disgrace of the enemy. When sin is the devil's entry point, it is crucial to take stock of choices and see where they do not align with God's word. If there are blindspots, asking God to reveal them and all other deception is necessary.

Revelation is needed because if not, a person could spend a lot of time blaming the Lord, rather than taking it to the devil and achieving victory. Godly strategy and wisdom are key to eliminating the enemy's leverage. These and so much more are available to those who desire to receive 'the more', so they step out of the shadows and into God's glorious light.

As you await fellowship at Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:

Grievances and Resentments - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) January 20, 2026

P L U N D E R E R
Jan 20
5 min read

God has spoken repeatedly in the Bible that He does not condone His people harboring anger in their hearts. Many will point to Jesus at the Temple when, in anger, he chased the sellers away (Matthew 21:12). They will claim that if He was angry, then it is fine for them to be the same. This overlooks the fact that His anger stemmed from righteous indignation at how a place dedicated to the Lord was being treated. His reaction had nothing to do with how others treated Him, as is usually the case when the average person is angry, but how His Father was being disrespected.

When we contextualize that display of anger, we see that it would be an exaggeration to extend that incident beyond what it represents. God does not want His people angry and squabbling with one another. Sadly, we Christians often forget this, and in keeping with worldly standards, we not only get unduly angry, but we also allow such anger to become sin. In doing so, we forget the warning in Ephesians 4:26 - In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. How often do we remember this when we allow anger to grow and gain tentacles that reach into every part of our lives?

Sure, anger is a natural emotion. God knew we would experience it. However, He didn't want us to hold onto it because it is bad for us. This is why Jesus warned that anger leads to our judgment (Matthew 5:22). It is also why King David warned in Proverbs 4:23 - Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts (GNT). If we don't avoid meditating on the things that fuel the fire of rage in our hearts and minds, we'll be sure to say and do things from a place of anger. Anger steals from us. It gives satan leverage when it opposes us and our prayers. The only one happy when we're angry is the devil - the accuser of God's people (Revelation 12:10).

Holding onto anger and allowing it to develop into grievances and resentments against people, institutions, or systems is not what God wants for anyone who belongs to Him. He instead wants believers to quickly let that emotion go. His children are to repent for their anger, then forgive whoever or whatever offended them. Proverbs 19:11 - A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. Plus, we are told in Colossians 3:8 - But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips (BSB).

And we may have tried to let our angry emotions go without success. In such cases, it is crucial to pray to God to help us. We need to ask Him to take over our emotions and truly allow Him to do so, because He will. If we let Him have His way, He will wash away the memories and triggers that spur us to anger, whether justified or not. We also need to be intentional in recognizing our triggers and avoiding them so the seed of anger isn't planted in our hearts. We can't use the excuse that God sees our hearts to keep getting angry without actively working on the issue.

God says we aren't to be angry and shouldn't allow that emotion to fester. It should be no surprise then that He won't judge the situation by whether or not we believe our feelings are justified. Remember, He shows grace and love to everyone He created, both righteous and unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). It is not for us to challenge this approach; after all, we were beneficiaries of that kindness before we decided to honor Him with our lives. Just as He gave us time to choose Him, He has to give time to others to make the same choice. Please let the anger go so you aren't standing as a judge against that person because Jesus said, Do not judge, or you too will be judged (Matthew 7:1).

Therefore, holding grievances and resentments against people whom God is likely working on becomes a waste of emotions, energy, and time. It is better to focus on our walk with the Lord and applying the energy and time needed for that than holding on to how someone hurt us. This is not to say that the effect of that person's treatment wasn't real or that it wasn't painful. It's just that, if we submit those hurts to God and forgive, the door is opened for us to enjoy more of God's healing grace and transformation. That way, anger won't bring judgment upon us and won't become a grievance or resentment that stops the more - the fullness of life that God has for us.

It goes without saying that if we are not to hold grievances and resentments against people, it is best not to have such feelings toward the Almighty God who created them. His thoughts and ways are beyond our comprehension. As a result, He can do things or permit situations that we don't understand. Those experiences may often be unpleasant. Nevertheless, being angry with Him isn't the way to go. Certainly, God is gracious, and with the intercession of Jesus, we enjoy His patience. Yet, let us not forget Isaiah 45:9 - “What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’ (NLT)

King Asa was upset with God for disciplining him, and his end wasn't good. Jonah resented God's choice to show mercy to Nineveh. The Lord kindly taught him that He will show compassion upon those who are contrite and seek His forgiveness for sin. Esau held a grievance against his brother, Jacob (Genesis 27:41). For all intents and purposes, most can admit that his anger was justified. And yet, God didn't think so. Esau's descendants, the Edomites, inherited his feelings and held an ancient grudge against Jacob's descendants, the Israelites. And God judged that they be destroyed (Amos 1:11-12).

I would be a hypocrite if I didn't admit to getting angry. The truth is, I, too, get irritated. However, the Lord has taught me to take better control of my emotions and submit them to Him at all times. He has also shown me the consequences of failing to do so. His command is that I quickly repent for the anger, irritation, and frustration that I focused on people or organizations. He showed me that a better way to use my emotions and the energy they create is to have compassion, show grace, give in the place of prayer, and be more understanding.

By His grace, I'm a work in progress, and have learned that anger doesn't have to rule my life. I have also learned that some relationships require distance as God works on all parties, but while He's working, I have abandoned my 'rights' to be angry or hold resentments. I instead seek to enjoy the peace Jesus gave to all who believe in Him. I pray this and so much more for you as you let the Lord free you of the anger, grievances, grudges, and resentments acting as shackles to keep you from all that is your rightful inheritance as God's child, IJMN, Amen.

As you await fellowship at Noon EST, consider reading the Altar Call below and the following previous P&P messages:

Topic: Esau

P L U N D E R E R
Jan 20
1 min read