Are You Happy Angry?

Matthew 19:14: “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these,” (NIV).

Our youngest is a mixture of his two siblings.  One of them doesn’t like to get in trouble…EVER!  The other will sometimes weigh the pros and cons before considering if the act is worth the consequence that will follow.  Our littlest will choose to disobey at times, but as soon as he knows that we are upset, he starts to sob and ask, “Are you angry with me?”

It’s very hard to be upset with a three-year-old looking at you with puppy dog eyes; but at the same time, it’s important for him to realize that there are consequences to actions, especially ones done deliberately.  Therefore, this week I decided to try and explain to him that even though I was angry about what he did, I would always be happy with him as a person.  You could see the wheels spinning as he thought about what I said, and finally, he blurted out, with a tentative smile, “Are you happy angry?”  I smiled a little and answered, “Yes, I’m happy angry.”  That satisfied him that he was still loved and he was ready to take his consequence, at least as much as anyone would want to.

That got me thinking about our Heavenly Father.  When we mess up, we never lose His love.  He may be disappointed in our choice, He may be upset with our decision, but His love for us never changes, just like our love never changes for our children when they make a mistake.

Therefore, the next time I sin and realize that I have temporarily separated myself from God due to my actions (He never leaves me, but I sometimes choose to distance myself from Him due to guilt), I’m going to remember that God is “happy angry” with me.  He may be upset about what I chose to deliberately do, but He’s still happy with me as a person.

I hope that encourages someone today.  There’s nothing we can do either now or in our past that will cause God to be permanently angry with us.  He may hate our sin, hate what that sin has done to us and through us, but He can never hate us!  If you’re struggling with drawing close to God and making that choice to follow Him, but are hiding due to something in your past or something you are participating with in the present, remember…God is “happy angry,” and is waiting for you to come to Him.  He has His hands out, ready to embrace you the same way I embraced our three-year-old as I reassured him he will always have my love, even as he is helping me clean up his artistic creation drawn in pen all over our suede couch.