What Prevents Compassion from Being Felt?

An apparent lesson from Jonah is that the moment you feel justified with anger, negative consequences infiltrate your life. You may feel angry for a multitude of reasons, but even justifiable anger has consequences when allowed to linger.

Jonah felt embarrassed because his prophesy for Nineveh’s  destruction failed to occur. Anger follows embarrassment if compassion for others doesn’t exist. Jonah directed his anger toward God for causing his prophesy to fail.

Jonah was knowledgeable and intelligent but could not transition from hatred to empathy for Nineveh, who heard God’s message and repented of their sins. This did not match Jonah’s expectations, but God’s compassion triumphed over Jonah’s anger and objections. Evidently, Jonah never recovered from his anger, but God’s love and mercy will forever be victorious.

Praise God, and may he richly bless you.

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If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 

~1 Corinthians 13:1-2 New American Standard Bible 

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Is It Possible to Know God's Word, Yet Be Lacking Mercy?

Jonah clearly illustrates how anger has the power to dominate a person’s life to the point of negating God’s blessings. Jonah’s anger teaches us how it transforms into depression, creating feelings of hopelessness and despair.

Human beings were designed to be accountable for selecting what is good and healthy while discarding undesirable thoughts and behaviors. Jonah did not make this transition. His prejudice and beliefs justified anger, including Nineveh being obliterated. 

Jonah had knowledge that God was merciful and slow to anger, but he could not apply these to himself. A lesson to learn from Jonah is, a person can know God yet fail to exhibit mercy and compassion to others. This can be corrected by intentionally and deliberately submitting yourself to the transforming power of Christ Jesus.

Your heart will change as his love and mercy take possession.

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If I give away all my possession to feed the poor and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant. 

~1 Corinthians 13:3-4 New American Standard Bible 

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When Is Anger Detrimental to Yourself or Your Relationships?

An important lesson to learn from Jonah’s life is anger has the power to determine a person’s fate in terms of deprivation or accomplishments. A life filled with bitterness diminishes joy and happiness. The sad truth about anger is it can become constant. 

Jonah permitted anger to deprive him of a joyful, peaceful fellowship with God. He refused to believe compassion was more acceptable to God than hatred. Jonah erupted into anger when God did not reign down death and destruction on Nineveh.

We see in Jonah the tendency to adapt a permanent attitude of anger so that it begins feels normal. God confronted Jonah with, “Do you have the right to be angry?” God challenged Jonah’s tendency to express anger toward him. Can you be angry with a person without hating them?  Anger dissipates when you view a situation from God’s perspective. 

God bless you.                       

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[Love] is not rude, is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 

~1 Corinthians 13: 5-8 Christian Standard Bible/New International Version

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Does God Help You Make a Directional Change?

A powerful lesson to learn from Jonah, the prophet to Nineveh, is God will remain true to his nature to be loving and merciful even as it conflicts with what you thought to be right and just. Adaptability is critically linked to accountability in an ever-changing society and world.

Jonah refused to discard the prejudice he felt toward Nineveh. He refused to let God help him see that God’s mercy is designed for anyone who confesses their sins and repents. Jonah became angry when God showed kindness and compassion to Nineveh’s people.

God will help you change your attitude.

In  Psalm 18 David speaks from a heart of gratitude. “I love you, Lord, for you make me strong. You are my rock and fortress, my protector, the rock where I am safe, my shield, my powerful weapon and my place of shelter.” Permit God to give you confidence and gratitude.                   

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I appeal to you by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship, and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you might prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 

~Romans 12:1-2 New American Standard Bible 

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How Can You Adjust to God's Plan and Purpose?

Jonah failed to understand God’s objective in saving Nineveh from destruction. Is it possible to view a situation from God’s perspective when anger has pervaded your life? Consider how anger, resentment, and bitterness block accepting God’s plan and purpose.

Anger, resentment, and bitterness create self-centeredness, which impedes accepting any alternative that God presents to us. God wanted Jonah to realize if he, Jonah, felt sorrow for a plant that died, how much more did God pity the people of Nineveh who were bound for destruction.

Jonah refused to accept that God loves all people, so a lesson from Jonah is that God designed us to be adaptable. 

Rigidity and resistance serve as barriers to experiencing the gifts of joy and peace that come from being flexible to God’s leadership so that you can serve him in an ever-changing world. May God bless you.  

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Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” 

~John 8:12 Christian Standard Bible 

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Could You Define How Your Will Differs from God's Will?

Can you describe a defining moment that changed the course of your life? For Jonah, it was facing what it means to be accountable for God’s call. A basic truth from Jonah is that God’s patience allows events to run their course until you can commit to his transforming call.

Refusing God’s call is driven by your emotional disposition, previous experiences, and prejudice. While God permits you to sidestep what could bring you unspeakable joy, he will use you to complete a task even when your attitude is in opposition to his plan and purpose.

Can you imagine what needs to happen for you to bring your free will in line with how God wants you to serve him? Consider God’s promise from Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and not your own judgement; always let God lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.” 

May God bless and keep you.                         

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Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake. I [the Lord God], am ready to make an everlasting covenant with you, to give you my unfailing mercies. 

~Isaiah 55:3 The Living Bible 

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Is It Possible to Refuse God's Call?

Each day can teach important lessons that prevent mistakes from being repeated. Jonah’s experience with God teaches us lessons that should not be ignored. His view concerning who should be accepted into God’s family was too narrow.

Jonah’s response to God could be defined as passive-aggressive. He refused to be honest with God about being unwilling to deliver God’s message to the city of Nineveh. Instead, he left the country in an effort to avoid God’s purpose for his life. 

Jonah could have emphatically stated, “I will not accept your call, your invitation.” However, Jonah refused to openly communicate with God. His internalized emotions were loaded with anger and fear. A defining moment can be your expressing to God exactly what you think, feel, need and want. This is possible when done with respect and honesty.

God will listen and then wait for you to be more trusting and confident.                  

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Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 

~Lamentations 3:22-24 New International Version 

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Can Anger Be Expressed Constructively by Blaming God?

Anger can be constructive when expressed with restraints that restrict revenge from taking control. Do you believe it’s possible to subdue an angry attitude? It’s important to understand that uncontrolled anger can ricochet with harsh consequences.

Anger expressed as hatred can be treacherous. When God asked Jonah if his anger was justified, he answered with an affirming, “Yes!” Can you constructively express anger when you believe God is the source of your trouble?

Anger internalized is extremely risky once it transforms into depression. God offered Jonah a way out of his intense anger and hatred by making sure he viewed the situation from God’s perspective. Anger will dissipate when there is a readiness to let it go, made possible by the transforming wisdom and power of God. 

Now is the time to make a fresh start, which you can do, with God’s help.                     

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But as for those who serve the Lord, he will redeem them; everyone who takes refuge in him will be freely pardoned. 

~Psalm 34:22 The Living Bible 

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Do You Need a Better Source for Managing Anger?

Have you ever been consumed with anger when you didn't get what you wanted? Jonah believed God failed him in two ways. First, God refused to destroy the people of Nineveh as Jonah had prophesied. 

Then as he sat sulking in the desert heat outside the city, the plant God provided for shade withered and died. That plant was a source of shade for Jonah, so when it died, he wanted to die. He believed God was causing him pain and suffering.

God asked Jonah, “Do you have a right to be angry?” A primary skill for managing anger is to ask, “Do I have the right to be angry, considering the circumstances? Is there a better way to manage this situation?” Think about the issue from God’s perspective. God’s word encourages you to let go of anger by earnestly asking, “Is my anger justified?” The Holy Spirit will free you from anger’s captivity.

      

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For he rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son [Jesus], in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

~Colossians 1:13-14 New American Standard Bible 

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Is It Possible to View Any Situation from God's Perspective?

Have you experienced intense anger because you felt entitled to that anger? Jonah felt justified with his anger because God refused to destroy Nineveh for their evil ways. Instead, God demonstrated mercy and forgiveness when the people repented.

Jonah felt embarrassed and betrayed because God spared Nineveh, so picture Jonah sitting in the desert’s hot, blistering sun, pouting and feeling diminished in credibility. God then caused a huge plant to spring up to provide shade for him.

His enjoyment was short lived when a worm destroyed the plant, causing Jonah to feel like dying. Had Jonah been able to pacify his anger by viewing the situation from God’s perspective, he could have celebrated with the people of Nineveh. Is anger blocking you from sensing God’s presence?

Ask God for spiritual clarity and guidance so you can live in peace with yourself and others.  Do it now.             

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Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 

~2 Corinthians 4:16-18 New International Version 

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Where Does Your Vulnerability Reside?

God gave us the biblical account of Jonah because we tend to model his attitudes and behaviors. We will never be swallowed by a large fish or be called by God to prophesy the doom a great city. We are prone to becoming angry and resentful as we encounter disappointments.

Embarrassment, followed by anger, surfaces with a loss of personal credibility. This happened to Jonah at Nineveh, so he withdrew to pout and sulk. He was obsessed with God’s being judgmental and punishing, and when God failed to meet his expectations, he was consumed with anger.

Jonah learned an important lesson at Nineveh. God is forgiving and merciful and changes his mind when people’s attitudes and behaviors turn to righteousness by discarding evil. 

The people of Nineveh turned from evil that was leading to destruction and turned to God with confession and repentance. You can follow their lead. 

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So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here. These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it – your faith is more precious to God than mere gold… 

~1 Peter 1:6-7 The Living Bible 

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What Obstructs Being Able to Recognize God's Purpose?

Jonah’s feelings about Nineveh being totally destroyed, including each person, all livestock, and every building, were clear. Listen to his message to the city: “Forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed!” That’s a three-second, eight-word message, but it was powerful and effective.

Jonah constructed a shelter on the perimeter of the city to witness Nineveh’s destruction. However the people turned from their evil ways and repented, prompting God to give them absolution which caused Jonah to become infuriated with God.

Becoming fixated in anger insured Jonah’s misunderstanding of God’s love and forgiveness. However you can rise above resentment, disappointment, and anger by being accountable to God for the good things the future holds as you respond to God’s forgiveness, love, and mercy. He invites you to make a new beginning today regardless of your past. 

Will you receive it? God is waiting.              

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For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield for those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of the faithful ones. 

~Proverbs 2:6-8 New International Version 

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Does God Always Do What Is Best for Everyone?

To say that Jonah was a complex person is to understate the mixture of responses he demonstrated in being selected to take God’s message to the evil city of Nineveh. He failed to show compassion when the people repented and God graciously forgave them.

Imagine Jonah in a state of rage yelling at God for saving Nineveh. Listen to his tirade: “I knew you were a loving and merciful God, always patient, always kind and always ready to change your mind and not punish.” His rage soon turned to depression, followed by a wish to die.

An important lesson for us to learn is, God does not act according to our assessment of a situation, but does what is best for everyone. You, like Jonah, may disagree. 

As you face an uncertain time, God will give you clarity on how to manage your situation as you cooperate with him to bring about his perfect will.                      

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The Lord says: “My thoughts and my ways are not like yours. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours.” 

~Isaiah 55:8-9 Contemporary English Version 

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. 

~Psalm 145:3 New International Version 

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