Is God Mad At Me?

“Is God mad at me?” This is a question so many people have wrestled with. An all-powerful God Who knows our deepest secrets and sees our lives from beginning to end, Who is Himself perfect in all ways and hates sin, which corrupts everything it touches – how could He not see us as worthless, inferior beings?

Guilt and condemnation over our sin drives us to grovel before Him, to beg for forgiveness and acceptance despite how our sinful nature contradicts His perfect and holy one. Even if we are unsaved, we know the difference between right and wrong and can sense that payment must be made in exchange for our wrongdoing.

Because of the fall, sin is woven into the fabric of our world. It taints everything we do, every thought we have – no person alive is exempt. So how is God able to love us despite our sin? How can He not be mad? The truth is, He isn’t.

From the Beginning

From the very first sin, mankind experienced the shame that stems from the knowledge of a sin committed. In fact, the first thing Adam and Eve did after eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden is hide from God. Genesis 3:8-10 says,

Adam and Eve were afraid of God being mad at them for disobeying Him. Even though they had never sinned before, they sensed the immediate imbalance in their relationship with Him. They felt the need to cover their sin, to hide it from God, to protect themselves from His assumed wrath.

However, when God found them and they admitted their guilt, He did not react like they expected. Genesis 3:21 says,

God had compassion on them. They broke His only rule and instead of getting mad, He went out of His way to help them cover their shame. He treated them with love instead of wrath. 

The True Nature of Sin

 God doesn’t hate you. He isn’t repulsed by you, He doesn’t regret making you. God isn’t mad at you, even when you sin against Him. Isaiah 59:2 says,

Sin separates us from God. This revelation isn’t meant to condemn you – it’s meant to free you. God doesn’t hate you, He hates your sin because it separates you from Him. God wants nothing more than a deep, loving relationship with you. You are His beloved, precious child whom He wishes to dote upon and spend time with.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, their relationship with God changed. Sin entered the world and man could no longer have the close-knit relationship with God He originally intended. That’s why He sent Jesus down to earth to repair what was damaged in creation. Many people are familiar with John 3:16, which says,

Look at that first part. “For God so loved the world…” He loved us, even before Jesus came down and died on the cross so we could no longer be enslaved to sin. Just as God is forever unchanging, so His love for us is also unchanging.

 God As Judge

As famous as John 3:16 is, many people are unfamiliar with the verse that immediately follows: John 3:17.

 A popular picture of God, especially in modern culture, is of the angry Judge sitting up in the clouds, ready to zap any people who look like they’re having too much fun. This just isn’t Who He is. If we read His Word, which is the easiest way to get to know Him, we see over and over that instead of judgement, He holds love for humanity. God didn’t send His Son to suffer and die on the cross so that we would know how sinful we are. He sent Him so that we could live a better life here on earth and in eternity. He did it out of unimaginable, unfathomable, totally undeserved, yet freely offered, love for us.

God Is No Longer Mad

God was mad that sin separated Him from the children He loved, so He did something about it. Our devotional for new believers, Tools For Living, says

What an incredible gift! And all we have to do to receive it is believe in Jesus. Let this knowledge give you hope. Not only is God not mad at you, He loves you more than any human parent, sibling, or friend. His love for you is truly without limit.

What Do I Do Now?

Having read thus far, you may be at a bit of a loss on how to proceed from here. If you’ve been picturing God as mad at you this whole time, having that image dislodged might leave you feeling unsure how to relate to God now. As you begin to reform a new image of Him, the best place to start is by looking in His Word. If you desire a relationship with Him and haven’t yet accepted salvation, all you need to do is pray this simple prayer:

“Dear God, I recognize that I have sinned. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to set me free and I believe that He was raised from the dead, conquering death. I accept Your love for me and am ready to begin a new relationship with You. Amen.”

That’s all it takes! Now you have opened your heart for God to be a part of your life. Make sure to spend time with Him often and learn more about Who He is by reading His Word. Always remember – God is not mad at you! And because of Jesus, He never will be.