ANGER

This is a topic with which I have some experience.  Just ask my older children.  Not that I was a total tyrant, but there were some instances when my anger got the best of me and I acted stupidly (check out our cars or the pipes under the house -- they have suffered wrench bashings when they didn't cooperate as I desired).

 I hope I never looked
like this. Don't tell me
if I did.

It was easy to rationalize that “even God gets mad” to make myself feel better. 

He does.

But His anger is much more reasonable and is eternally founded in a love for His creations/children. Mine, not always so much.

Stories of God’s anger crop up in the scriptures fairly often.

The loved the rainbow!!

There was that whole business with Noah and the rest of humanity. Didn't turn out very well for the world.  But was it vengeance or not understanding the whole Plan?

Then Sodom and Gomorrah got a little dose of Godly anger.  Animals in the area found a great source of salt but the people… well, they just got licked.

Looking at these stories from a worldly point of view, it appear that God’s anger is sated by retribution on the wicked. 

That’s only true if we don’t know who He is.

Retribution, revenge, payback, and such are not part of what makes Him God.

So……… what causes God’s anger?

The anger of God is not always for the things we do – He knows that He put imperfect mortals here on earth to live.  Sin was expected and accounted for in the Plan of Salvation.  God’s anger comes most often in response to the things we DO NOT do.

Example:

And the anger of the Lord is kindled… and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord… shall be cut off from among the people; (D&C 1:13-14)

He is disappointed when we don’t listen to Him – whether He speaks to us individually or as a people (Kinda like when mom keeps calling to dinner and then locks the door ‘cause you don’t respond).

Another, deeper example:

Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son. (Alma 33:16)

God, our Heavenly Father, expresses anger when we are offered the way to overcome the world, the temptations of the adversary, and the sins that result from our actions and choices –

and we continue to refuse Him.

Nothing more important than this Gift.

The Atonement of Christ is the greatest gift of God to mortal men and women. 

Redemption is there, waiting for our acceptance. 

.

  When we fail to accept the gift offered – well, I can’t imagine that makes our Father happy.

If it were me, I would probably be a little miffed also

(I might even throw a wrench or two just for good measure).