From the beginning, when our backs are against the wall, humanity has tended to put the blame on God. Early on, when Adam was called on the carpet for partaking of the forbidden, he said to God,

“The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” -Genesis 3:12

Adam figured it was worth a shot to put the blame on both God and Eve, but it didn’t fly. God still held Adam responsible for his poor nutritional choices.

Job did the same thing. When he was trying to pick up the pieces of his shattered life, there were days when Job was so wrecked that he looked up and pointed an angry finger at God:

“But it is God who has wronged me, capturing me in his net. I cry out, ‘Help!’ but no one answers me. I protest, but there is no justice. God has blocked my way so I cannot move. He has plunged my path into darkness.” -Job 19:6-8

Little did Job know, God has his back the whole time and it was the devil who was perpetrating all the chaos, trying to get Job to quit the faith.

Blaming God for hardship is so common that it became proverbial,

“People ruin their lives by their own foolishness, and then are angry at the LORD.” Proverbs 19:3

Why do we do that? What is it that causes us to blame God when things go south? When someone dies or when we experience loss or something catastrophic, we pin it on Him. Why?

This is just a guess, but maybe it is because God doesn’t argue with us when we blame Him. He doesn’t shout back, “I didn’t do this. It’s not my fault, it’s yours!”

Rather, He quietly allows us to vent in His direction. God patiently listens as we process our pain. He allows us to express the things that we are thinking and feeling, even if those thoughts and feelings may have no basis in reality. (Reminds me of a good song).

While we cry and grieve, even when we say some things that make no sense, God just holds us and lets us get it all out, because He knows this is an essential part of the healing process.

God would eventually respond to Job. After Job spoke everything that was on his mind, the Lord would have the last word. As always, it was a good word. Then feeling much better and more hopeful about the future, all Job needed to say in response was,

“I had only heard about you [God] before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.“

-Job 42:5-6

Even after Job had the audacity to blame God for his troubles, God was still there, loyal as ever. Realizing this, Job experienced God in a way he never had before and by His grace, Job would go on to make one of the greatest personal comebacks ever documented.

Take a moment to rejoice in the fact that the love and faithfulness of God can withstand your lowest moments and your worst behavior. When the smoke clears, He’ll still be there.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.