Can I be frustrated with God?

Short answer… yes, but with respect knowing that He is still God and that we still need to trust Him no matter what the outcome.

There was a priest in the Bible at a time when the people of Israel was sinning against God. The people refused to follow God and instead were worshiping idols. This priest, his name was Habakkuk, and he was frustrated with God. Here is his complaint against God.

Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me, there is strife and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous so that justice is perverted.

Habakkuk 1:3-4

The Lord answers with this:

I am raising up the Babylonians that ruthless and impetuous people who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own. Verse 1:6

Habakkuk is confused, not liking how God is handing the situation. Even though Habakkuk would do things different, he is still respectful of God.

O Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, we will not die. O Lord, you have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, you have ordained them to punish. Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? Verses 1:12-13

Habakkuk does not understand how God could use the Babylonians, who are more evil than Israel to punish Israel. It doesn’t make sense. God explains that He will raise up another nation to punish the Babylonians. So here is Habakkuk, he knows God plan – the Babylonians are coming; they are coming to conquer, to destroy and Habakkuk was never part of the problem, it’s not his fault. Here are his last words on the subject.

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord I will be joyful in God my Savior. Verse 3:17-18

Yes, life can be hard, difficult and stressful. But it’s not God’s fault, and He still needs to be honored because He is God. Our joy comes from who He is and in the salvation He provided. Things may never work out the way we want, but we need to let God be God.