Relationships 201: M A G A
Daniel Sirstad
For the past few years, we have seen this acronym (MAGA) in various places. I’m sure you all have an idea of what it means. Or, at least you think you do.
M A G A = Mad At God Again
All anger inevitably makes its way back to God. It is an uncomfortable thought, but true.
Historically, God has gotten angry with people (Moses was one), and people have gotten angry with God. Jeremiah records these words in Lamentations 3:16 (NLT) “He has made me chew on gravel. He has rolled me in the dust.” The prophet Jeremiah wrote many accusatory verses towards God about Israel’s sorrow during their captivity. This verse fascinates me. In captivity, Israel lived in poverty. Many Israelites had to make their bread on the ground. In the process of making the bread, pebbles would mix with the dough. They would eat the bread laced with gravel, resulting in their teeth being chipped or broken. And, of course, it was God that made them do this. Interesting.
If memory serves correct, God gave Israel some choices years earlier. Serve God and benefit or don’t and reap the benefit of that decision. It wasn’t God’s fault their teeth were breaking. It was the result of their choices made years earlier. Or their parents’ choices. Sometimes, bad things happen to us as a result of our own decisions. Sometimes, bad things happen to us as a result of someone else’s decisions.
When bad things happen to us, our response is crucial. It’s not SP (Spiritually Correct) to say, “I’m angry at God.” But, if we are, we need to recognize it before more bad things happen to us or our children. The problem is not so much recognizing you are Mad At God Again. The problem is staying mad at God. Don’t blame God for things He did not do. Don’t let anger eat you up. Recognize reality. Repent. Ask God for a clean heart.
Then you won’t be M A G A!
By the way, I do want America to be great. America needs a massive revival
Dr. Daniel Sirstad is a UPCI ordained minister and has a PhD in Clinical Pastoral Counseling. As the Executive Director of DayStar Ministries, Dr. Sirstad travels extensively teaching and preaching on relational subjects. He counsels for many congregations throughout North America using HIPAA-compliant video technology. dsirstad@dsministries.com