Jonah and I

In Jonah 4, Jonah spends a lot of time complaining about his lot and life. He sums it up with these words, "It is better for me to die than to live!" Life and the repentance of the Ninevites was so painful to Jonah that he would rather die than think about it. I feel like there are points in each person's life that are so painful physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually that we think it would be easier to just die than live. I would even say that emotional pain brings that point of desperation quicker than anything else.

The Lord responds to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry?" God asks questions because they reveal our heart. It also puts us in proper perspective with God; He has every right to ask us any question and we owe him an answer. The question should be answered, "No. Lord. All your ways are right even if I don't understand them." However, Jonah was mad. Additionally, so am I a lot of the time. Jonah was mad because he did what God asked of him and he didn't get the result that he wanted. I am mad for similar reasons. I can do everything the right way and do my best to keep peace, yet I am still the one people have a problem with.


At the end of the book, Jonah had given up, separated himself from others, and became a spectator. The last words of Jonah are, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!" These are also the words that I currently feel. Luckily for Jonah and me, God had more to say even after angry pronouncements. God's mercy and compassion still works.