Have you ever been annoyed with God? Ever felt like things were not going well in your life? When life starts to go awry, and there's no-one to point a finger at. Who do you think usually gets the blame? Well, If you are a believer, sometimes it's the One that you believe is controlling everything--God. (After all, isn't He the one who is supposed to be in charge of our life?) Doesn't He manage everything in the world: overseeing every detail on the Earth? (I.e. the weather, politics, who gets hired, or fired, who gets sick, and who wins the lottery.)
Although, we advise others to submit to His divine will: and be thankful for all things. Actually, our attitudes can become quite belligerent when things don't turn out the way want. That's when we start playing the blame game. All the while pretending to be enthusiastic, spiritual, and dedicated to our sacred commitments.
Well, this is what the Prophet Jonah experienced. God instructed him to go to Nineveh and give the people a message. The message: to repent from their sins! But Jonah, having previously observed their behavior, and way of life, was doubtful that they would ever listen to him- nor repent. He did not want the task of trying to convince a group of people that His message was genuinely from God. Jonah was so annoyed with the whole matter that; he boarded a ship headed in the opposite direction, curled up in the bottom of the vessel, and went to sleep. Unfortunately, Jonah later found himself in the belly of a fish.
How arrogant of Jonah, you may think. How could he be so, rebellious, so disobedient, and self-righteous? Such haughtiness, he got just what he deserved! Eventually, Jonah was emanated from the large fish, traveled to Nineveh to deliver God's message. Surprisingly, (to Jonah) the people of Nineveh received God's message, and repented. The unanticipated result did not send Jonah rejoicing. Instead, he grew angrier. When asked, by God: "Why are you so angry?" he replied, "I knew that you would have mercy on them anyway." In other words, why was it necessary for me to be inconvenienced?
But the Lord, in His loving kindness and patience, attempted to reason with Jonah. But he still remained resistant to God's rational. God tried to comfort him with a beautiful plant to ease his discomfort. Jonah was content for a while, but when it was destroyed, he became more furious than ever. (Jonah could have benefited from an anger- management consultation.)
It may be said that this Prophet was an emotionally, self-absorbed, intolerant seer. He may have needed to repent more than the people of Nineveh, for his bad attitude. Isn't attitude everything?
But God loves us, even when we are self-centered, arrogant and intolerant of others. Even though we think we have all the answers, and everyone else is to blame for the results of our bad choices. When our intellect tells we are right and everyone else is -"limited in their thinking." He loves us as He loved Jonah, with his trifling attitude.
Though we may believe we know more than Him, and take actions to handle things on our own. He loves us; when we are troubled on the inside, or, entangled in trouble on the outside. He also allows us to have free will. He will never force His will on us. No matter how badly we may need His intervention. He is patient and will wait for us to come to Him. To ask for His help and, His guidance. No matter how our bad decisions, create our own problems, and how we deviate from His will. In the midst of our rebelliousness, He will allow us to decide what we want to do. God waits, ready to correct our faults, and deliver us from our sins, but only when we are ready for Him to do so.
So, the next time you find yourself upset with God, as Jonah did. Don't take matters in your own and create a mess only to regret it later. Pray about the situation, and trust that God knows what is best. Read His word, and let the Word guide you. But, if you happened to have created a mess, remember, God is the only One who can create something wonderful out of it.
Jonah 4:1-11