This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.” The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?” Jonah 4: 1-4 (NLT)
Remember the story of Jonah? Most of us know the part of the story where Jonah disobeys God’s calling to travel to Nineveh to proclaim His word. Jonah’s disobedience results in his being swallowed by a big fish. Jonah prays to the Lord for forgiveness while in its belly. God gives Jonah a second chance and commands the fish to spit him out on land.
Talk about a wake-up call! Don’t you think that, after being rescued from certain death, Jonah would then devote himself to a change of heart? Well, not so. Jonah obeys and travels to Nineveh to declare the word of the Lord, but when the Ninevites repent of their sins and decide to change God shows them mercy.
Remember the story of Jonah? Most of us know the part of the story where Jonah disobeys God’s calling to travel to Nineveh to proclaim His word. Jonah’s disobedience results in his being swallowed by a big fish. Jonah prays to the Lord for forgiveness while in its belly. God gives Jonah a second chance and commands the fish to spit him out on land.
Talk about a wake-up call! Don’t you think that, after being rescued from certain death, Jonah would then devote himself to a change of heart? Well, not so. Jonah obeys and travels to Nineveh to declare the word of the Lord, but when the Ninevites repent of their sins and decide to change God shows them mercy.
This makes Jonah very angry. He wants to see the Ninevites suffer for their wrongdoings. He has a hard time believing they will ever truly change.
How many times has God shown us mercy when we didn’t deserve it, yet we are all too ready to harbor bitterness and withhold mercy towards others? When someone hurts you repeatedly it is difficult to ever think they will change. The sting of disappointment runs deep, and although we may forgive it is hard to forget.
We build walls of protection to keep out those who pose a threat to us. We make a mental note in our mind and our heart never to trust that person again. The root of bitterness runs deep and can grow into all parts of our life infecting us with negative thoughts and a general distrust for others. Hebrews 12:15 cautions us to “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many” (NLT).
Grace and mercy doesn’t always come easy. This doesn’t mean that we allow ourselves to be a human punching bag, but we must, as Proverbs 4:23 says “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (NLT). We can’t allow the sins of a few to poison our heart towards showing and receiving the love of God.
We are all guilty of hurting others. None of us can cast the first stone. Remember how good it felt when you were forgiven for something wrong you had done? Remember how that made you feel? Imagine being able to pass that feeling on, pay it forward by granting second chances.
Don’t be a Jonah. Don’t allow satan to steal your joy by giving him a foothold in your life through a Jonah complex.
I am so glad that my God gives ME second chances. I would be lost without his grace and unconditional love.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8 NIV).
Every Blessing,
Melodie
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