Jonah 4:9-11
‘But God said to Jonah, “Do you have a good reason to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “I have good reason to be angry, even to the point of death!” Then the LORD said, “You had compassion on the plant, for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. Should I not also have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 people, who do not know the difference between their right hand and their left, as well as many animals?”
This is an important lesson. Our feelings often differ with God’s mind. What we think will happen in our lives doesn’t always line up with what God wants. Jonah was angry, we will also be angry, frustrated or at least surprised.
I had a situation in the fall in which things didn’t turn out as I supposed. It was quite disappointing. I kept on waiting for things to turn around. They never did. I had to forgive and get over it. I still am disappointed.
We can’t be firm about outcomes not specified in God’s Word. Jonah had his opinions and they led him to flee to Tarshish or get angry. God was telling him not to keep that attitude. He gave him a lesson with the plants. We have to trust that He knows what He’s doing.
Oprah Winfrey and Brad Pitt both deserted God as they didn’t like some of His ways. Oprah didn’t like that He is a jealous God and Brad didn’t like that God wanted glory. These concepts can be easily put into context and understood. Because God wasn’t what they thought He should be, they’ve rejected Him.
Job had some misunderstandings about God and He set Him straight. Job 40:1-5 says, ‘And the LORD said to Job: “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who argues with God give an answer.” Then Job answered the LORD: “Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once, but I have no answer—twice, but I have nothing to add.”’ Presently we are so confident in our stance. We think when we get to God’s throne that we will persuade Him. We will act exactly like Jobe. We’ll be speechless.
The devil has fooled us into thinking that we are safe in our argument. Unfortunately we’ve based our eternity on it. He’s been deceiving since man’s creation. Romans 1:21 says we knew we were wrong with our gripe with God. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.” Our thinking became foolishness because we wanted our way. Sad.
To stick with our attitude isn’t fearing God. Like Job admitted God is right, so we must adopt that mindset. Jonah had strong emotions with his attitude. We may as well. Lord, help us to rid ourselves of wrong thoughts. Help us to be in Your Word, help us to adopt the mind of Christ.