Did you ever find yourself arguing with God? I have, often. What does God think of this? Well, what does the Bible say?
Moses argued with God. Elijah argued with God. Jonah argued with God. We aren't the first, and we won't be the last.
Job is the best book to look at when you are researching arguments in the Bible. Everyone is arguing with everyone else in Job. Satan vs God. Job vs his friends. Elihu vs Job and his friends. Job vs God. God vs. Job. SO much arguing going on!
Job wanted a face-off with God about the things that were going on in his life. We are just like Job! We have things that go wrong, or not our way, and we want to argue with God. We are full of words when we pray and we can't see Him. But, just like Job, when we get the chance to stand before God at the Judgement Seat, we won't be able to argue at all!
This is how we will fell when we finally stand before God. But, how does God feel about us arguing with Him in prayer? Does He get angry? Does He lose patience? Does He try to understand and help us to understand?
In the New Testament, there are many cases of men arguing with God. In Matthew 3, John the Baptist argues with God. John didn't want to baptize Christ because he felt unworthy. He wasn't arguing with Christ because of some perceived wrong done to him; it came from humility.
Again, in Matthew 11, John the Baptist argues with God. This time, John was in prison and he had to send his argument to Christ through others. This time it was because of a perceived wrong. "Here I am in prison, and I want to know if you are worth it!" This is basically what John in asking.
Whether our arguments are from a sense of unworthiness or from a pit of doubt and despair, the end result always seems to be the same- when God answers we often find ourselves agreeing with Him. We find ourselves siding with God.
Another person in Matthew 16 argues with Christ. Christ is telling His disciples what is going to happen to Him- betrayal, torture, death. And, Peter, starts arguing with God about whether this was going to happen. Peter thinks he knows more than Christ. He thinks he has more knowledge and understanding than Christ.
(Peter actually argues with God a lot! He argues with Christ before following Him, while following Him, while backslidden and not following Him...)
In John 13, Peter argues with Christ again! This time it's about whether the Lord will wash his feet. First, Peter doesn't want Christ to wash his feet, and then he does a 180 and wants Christ to wash all of him. Christ has a purpose for what He is going to do- your feet will get dirty walking through this life and you need to wash them (confess your sins). Peter says, "Never!", and then when Christ tries to explain, Peter says, "Then wash all of me." Peter doesn't need all of him washed (salvation only needs accepted once!)
We are like Peter. We think we know what we need. We argue with God to make Him understand that we know what we need. But, it's when we stop and listen to Christ that we begin to understand He knows what we need. He's going to give us what we need, not what we think we need.
It's a hard lesson. It's mainly pride and unbelief.
After Peter has submitted to living for the Risen Messiah, he goes back to arguing with Christ! Acts 10- Christ is trying to show Peter something. He sends down a blanket full of things that Jews aren't suppose to eat under the law, and He tells Peter to eat it. Peter starts arguing with God, "Not so!" Peter again needs God to explain to him, "What I call clean is clean."
But, again, what does God think about us arguing with Him? Christ doesn't seem to get angry. He gently tries to get these men to understand.
And, Christ deals with us the same way. I don't see where God gets mad at us for arguing with Him. God will have longsuffering and patience with us and He takes the time to gently explain it to us. He tries to get us to understand.
It's up to us to learn to listen when God tries to explain it to us. And, we may find that like John and Peter we side with God.
