Signs of Bitterness

Jonah (Part 2)

This second phase of Jonah's story about going to Ninevah made me see how aptly applies to bittnerness in the Christian life---how we respond when others hurt us.

Jonah did not want to go and preach to Ninevah because this was the very country that had long been an enemy of the Israelittes. I don't know what sort of personal history Jonah had with it, but he obviously had no desire to go and tell them about God's judgment and mercy.

1. My personal feelings toward that person override my obedience to God.
Jonah wanted to run the other direction instead of preach to them.
I think of how this happens with church members sometimes. We would rather disobey God and miss church than be around a person that hurt us.

2. I become angry at God's mercy toward those that have hurt me.
The Bible says that Nineveh repented, so God repented the judgment He was going to bring. Jonah's reaction is
4:1"But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry."
He wasn't just upset, but VERY ANGRY. He even tells God,
4:2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before Tarshish: for I knew that thou are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of evil.
In other words, I knew You'd forgive them God--that's why I didn't want to come and tell them the Truth!
When I have this attitude it's almost like I am tellling God that I deserve the mercy He gave me, but they don't! I must look at my sin to be just as disgusting as theirs. Thou they have hurt me, I have hurt You just as much. You're willing to forgive me for hurting You, so I can accept that You are willing to forgive them too.

3. I throw a pity party.
Jonah whines...
4:3 Therefore, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than live.
I don't think Jonah really wanted to die---He just wanted God to feel sorry for him.

4. Anger consumes me and I want to seclude myself.
4:4-5 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry? So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.

5. I am unwilling to move on.
Jonah wanted to be alone, and he wanted to sit, soak, and sour about the circumstances. He didn't want to move on, but instead wanted to dwell on it and see what would happen.

6. Things become a temporary distraction to my grief.
God prepared a gourd to grow and shadow Jonah's head. The Bible said he was "exceeding glad of the gourd"

7. I shift my security that was in people to things instead of untimately having security in God.
God used a worm to kill the gourd that Jonah had grown to love and find security in. When it dies, Jonah ends up in the same state he was in before...angry and wishing he would die.

8. My perception of love is totally skewed.
God reprimands Jonah for this. Jonah loved and cared for a gourd that he had nothing to do with..didn't work to make it grow, etc, but yet Jonah expects God not to care for the people of Nineveh whom He had created.

The sad part of this story is that we never see if Jonah turned from his bitterness. I'd like to think that he did. Abba, thank You so much that You have kept me from letting the seed of bitterness grow in my heart. Help me to keep it that way. Help me to see the signs before it overwhelms me and consumes me like it did Jonah.