I have just started reading Holy Anger by Lytta Basset, in the first few pages she raises the subject of the way we so often hide our anger towards God, often not even admitting that it exists. Basset suggests that rather than admit that God is the source of our anger and frustration that we either deny and internalise it or we find an alternative scape-goat to aim ouranger at. Sometimes she says that we make God himself our scape goat by projecting our anger onto him we make him something that he isn't - a malevolent deity, one who is against rather than for us.
So far I am challenged by this book, I can identify both the suppression and the desire to find scape-goats within myself. Basset suggests that God himself wants us to be brave enough to face him with our anger, to be real in our relationship requires us to own our feelings, and just as we can be angry with our children, our spouses/ significant others we can and sometimes are angry with God.
Why then are we afraid to stand up to God?
Why isn't anger and challenge acceptable?
Is it wrong? Is it blasphemous? Or do we need to become real in order to have a very real relationship with the one who loves us more than we can ask or imagine?
Jacob Wrestles with God by Dov Lederberg
