Friends, I have to confess I’ve experienced a great deal of conviction over the last four weeks of our Jonah study. Reading his story has held up a mirror to the spoiled brat in my heart.
- I whine when things don’t go my way.
- I wonder why God won’t do what I want.
- I wish things were different.
- I spend way too much time sulking about my disappointments.
- I often have a skewed perspective, and I need a wake-up call.
God is ever so patient with His children, and He continued to reach out to His prodigal prophet to help him hold up a mirror to his selfish heart. God never gave up on Jonah.
God loves us so much He extends His grace to us over and over. He covers us with His compassion and invites us to find rest as we surrender and repent.
Like Jonah, God wants us to see He is more concerned with refining our character than with responding to our comfort.
God will show His mercy to us – not based on our merit – but because He is faithful to keep His promises. He is slow to anger and never responds to our adulterous hearts with anything but an affirmation of His steadfast love. He may allow us to experience discomfort, but always because He is drawing us back into the circle of His protection.
Before we say goodbye to Jonah, we need to take a hard look in the mirror of God’s Word and see where we lack God’s compassionate heart.
- Are we easily offended?
- Do we “quit” on others who are hard to love?
- Have we isolated ourselves from community because people have disappointed us?
- Did we stop showing up for hurting friends to just sit on the sidelines?
- Is our heart whining or worshiping today?
God wanted Jonah to have compassion on the Ninevites – because He loves the world. He loves every single person who is breathing and walking on earth right now.
Let’s not miss the message of Jonah. God doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve. Every morning, we receive His fresh mercies as the sun rises to greet us.
As people who have received God’s compassion, we are to champion His cause by showing up with a mop to clean up messes and carrying our casserole dishes into broken places. We are to move toward the loveless and make a difference.
Let’s resist the temptation to sit on the sidelines and sulk.
Ask God to give you a fresh perspective on how you can cover a difficult person with His compassion.
Today, we can start over. We can show up even when it’s not comfortable. We can serve in hard places. We can speak life over those who desperately need Him.
We are on a mission of compassion.
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Lyli, you give me so much to consider in my own life with this blog post. Thank you!
So glad this encouraged you, Trina . I was preaching to myself, you know.
Wow! This just made me sit up and listen. I can see myself in almost ever word. Thank you for this wake-up call! I needed it! God bless you!
I need it, too!!!! (Maybe we can start a group?).
I am so glad God’s mercies are new ever morning. He is the God of second chances.
I’ve found so many words of knowledge in this study. This is my second study and they’ve been just what I’ve needed in this season. They’ve been such a blessing in helping me to see me and to remember Gods love, mercy and grace for me and the world. Thank you LGG for all that you do.
Yay!!! So excited that you are loving this study. It’s really challenged me as well. I love this format, and it’s wonderful that we can study the Bible together from the around the world.
Wow! So timely. I needed to read every word.. stepping up in His strength into the mission of compassion. Lead me Lord…
Amen!!!!
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Thank you for this posting. It highlighted to me my bad attitude at the moment and so I was glad to hear I was not alone and to hear the scripture to align my attitude and heart to the Lord again!