How to Make God Angry
Reading Time: 8 minutes
But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.” But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” Then the Lord became angry with Moses. “All right,” he said….
Exodus 4:10-14
In this verse, God is talking to Moses—big, Red-Sea-dividing, army-defeating, Bible-writing Moses. Our stories and movies about him don't usually show his insecure side. While on a mountain tending to his father-in-law's flocks, Moses stumbles upon a burning bush. He goes to it and God starts to speak to him. God tells Moses that He has heard the cries of Moses’ people and wants to use Moses to liberate them. For the length of two chapters, Moses argues with God about not being good enough. God tells Moses that He has prepared Moses for this and He will do the fighting for him, but Moses continues to protest.
We would think Moses would be confident and gung-ho to be a superstar and walk in what God is calling Him to do. God continues to tell Moses the strategies He has and the plans He developed, but Moses is really fighting against the crazy idea of God using little old him. Something I heard that stuck with me was that when we don’t believe in what God is calling us to, it is really us not believing in God. When we keep bringing up our flaws to a God who says He is strength in our weakness, at some point, we are really admitting our doubt in His abilities. Moses is literally fighting God on what He has said He will do through him. And so many of us do the same.
Moses is considered one of the most humble people in the Bible, but this chapter had to be before he got that title. This is what I like to call “toxic humility”. Some of my musician friends brought this concept to me. So often we downplay ourselves and what God is trying to do and call it humility, but really we are putting our weakness ahead of God's strength and putting the attention back on us. We think we are being humble or realistic but we are really telling God we don’t believe He is strong enough to do what He says. By putting the attention on ourselves, we are taking it off of God.
It's crazy that Moses was one of the biggest leaders in the Bible. He led a multitude, a multigenerational country. But as great as he was he had great insecurity. God is telling Moses that He will do the work and the lifting, He just needs to work through someone. God needs Moses’ name to put on the assignment He is going to finish. He just needs a messenger of His words and Moses is like, “Nah, I’m too weak.”
Moses begins to remind God he can't speak. “I haven’t been good with words. I never have.” Moses focuses on his areas of supposed lack. Yet, God asks Moses a crazy question, “Who made mouths to speak? Who makes ears to hear? Who’s really running the show here?” One of my friends pointed out something wild here. God doesn’t just say He makes mouths and causes people to speak, He implies that He determines what people hear. The Bible says He will speak through us. He will give us the words. We are not on our own. We are bodies performing the multiple options of success God mapped out for us. But, Moses still isn't done. By being insecure, he is practically calling God crazy for even considering him.
You want to know how to make God angry? Tell Him that He isn't good enough to fight for you. Tell Him that His strength isn’t enough to make up for your weakness. My brother once pointed out that sometimes, we believe so much more in the negative powers in our lives than we believe in the positive powers. You telling me Moses was so bad at public speaking that he thought His weakness could trump the God of All Creation? The Bible says, “without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)” and, in this case, Moses has almost no faith in Him.
Likewise, how often does God call us to great things and we claim He's crazy? Do you hear how wild that is? God is calling you and you're telling Him that your ignorance, your weaknesses, and your shortcomings are not enough for Him? God is saying He will do a great thing and we are reminding God of our weaknesses like God forgot about them in the planning session. In math, if you add a positive number to a negative number, then whichever number is bigger will bring the result to its side of the equation. For example, in the case of +5 - 3, because the positive number is greater, the result will be a positive number, or +2. When we question God, we really are saying our negative is bigger than God's positive. We are walking around believing that God's power and influence are less than our own.
Moses swears He isn't good enough, even though God literally appears in an illuminated bush to tell him that He is. Moses doesn’t think he is educated enough, even though he went to the best Egyptian schools. Moses doesn’t believe he can be a leader, even though he grew up watching the Pharaoh. Moses doesn’t think He can speak publically and asks for someone else to replace him. It’s crazy, but God's greatness doesn’t stop there. He may get mad, but He doesn’t give up. God gives us chances to believe. What He does next is cool.
Then the Lord became angry with Moses. “All right,” he said. “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you. Talk to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will instruct you both in what to do. Aaron will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say.
Exodus 4:14-16
God doesn’t let Moses’ insecurity and lack of confidence deter Him. He works with Him and says, “Look, I’m not going to let you off the hook that easily. You are still called. Greatness is still in you. But I'll work with your insecurity for a second, just to make it easier. I was already sending help. I gave you a community. I gave you a team. You don't have to do this on your own. I will be with you the whole time. I just need you to trust me.”
I've been on a mission to tell people God wants them and wants to use them. You may feel broken; as if you don't bring anything to the table. Still, God wants you and will use you. It’s not too late, he will keep working with you even though you may push Him away at times. You can still be a leader like Moses. You are still called regardless of your mistakes. Moses wasn't the only insecure leader. Many of us are. But life opens up to be abundant when you focus on God's strength and not your weakness. You begin to walk in confidence when you realize success isn't dependent on you.
Before the earth was created, God wanted to adopt you. It made Him happy to call you His own (Ephesians 1:3-6). It has nothing to do with what is on your resume and all to do with what is on His. This Christianity thing is not about you being good enough. It’s about God choosing you no matter how much you keep falling short. He wants to heal your heart and create a place of peace for you.
The first step is to realize God is calling us. Now, what’s next? I love that God still gives Moses instruction. He says, “Hey, you see that staff you have? That’s what I will use to perform miracles. All you have is all you need. I'll bring the people. I'll supply the plan. I'll supply the power. All I need you to do is trust me and let me work. Keep walking towards what I’m calling you to. I got you.” You're not alone in this. Walk with Him. He will give you the words. He will bring help through others who are in your situation. Community is coming. Keep walking.
You may be scared, but God isn't. God will supply the plan, the people, and the power. You just give Him you.
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