Hey there and welcome back to Ella Writes! Recently I was reading the book of Jonah, and although I already know the basic story of Jonah running away and jumping on a ship so he didn't have to preach to the people of Nineveh, re-reading the whole story made me realize something I'd previously missed.
I'm sure you know all about what Jonah did, but have you ever paid attention to Jonah chapter four? There's a valuable lesson in that chapter that I've never heard anyone talk about, so today I think it's time that you know what it is.
Jonah 4:10, "But the Lord said, 'You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and have died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left- also many animals?'"
After Jonah runs away, jumps on a ship, and ends up in the belly of a fish, he prays to God, finally understanding that he can't run away from Him.
When Jonah finally goes to Nineveh and the people learn who God is, the story isn't over. That's not the end.
Jonah chapter four is titled, "Jonah's Anger at the Lord's Compassion."
In this chapter, Jonah's mind is on the fact that God did not destroy the people of Nineveh after seeing that they turned from their evil ways. He's angry at God because he believes Nineveh should have been punished for not knowing who God was in the first place.
But Jonah 4:5-8 shows how Jonah made a shelter for himself, sitting in the shade to see what would happen to the city of Nineveh.
Then God provides a leafy plant to give Jonah shade, trying to ease his discomfort. But the next day, God provides a worm to chew the plant, making it wither. When the sun rose, God made the sun blaze on Jonah's head, so that he would grow faint.
In that moment, Jonah said, "It would be better for me to die than to live."
Even though Jonah didn't see it in the moment, there was a reason for what God did with the plant.
In verse nine of chapter four, God asks Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?"
Jonah replies with, "It is. And I'm so angry I wish I were dead."
But it's verses 10-11 of chapter four that really stand out to me. That really show why God did all of this. And why everything happens for a reason.
God points out to Jonah that Jonah is concerned about the plant that gave him shade, yet he didn't do anything to care for the plant. He didn't tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.
And in verse 11, God also says, "'And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right from their left-and also many animals?'"
In other words, just like the plant, if no one had ever told the people of Nineveh about God, they would have continued to go about their evil ways, never really knowing the truth about what they were doing.
Like a plant needs water and care to grow, humans need God and His Word to fully understand their purpose in this world.
Think of Jonah as an example of the world right now.
If God wasn't there, Jonah could have taken things into his own hands. He could have told the people whatever he wanted. He could have told them that what they were doing was wrong, while also trying to punish them for their wrongdoings instead of forgiving them.
When things are in our hands, they don't often go well.
People are murdered, hurt, and lost without God. Without his forgiveness, passion, love, and care, we don't know what we're doing at all.
God wanted Jonah to realize that if he wanted a plant that would give him the best shade, the best life, he had to water it; he had to care for it. Without that, a plant can not live.
And without Jonah telling Nineveh about God, and giving them a second chance, they would have died not realizing the true pain their own decisions brought them.
In the same way, there are so many things we do that we think are completely fine and right, but how often do those things, in the end, cause us pain we didn't expect to find?
In a world full of people that think their choice is better, we have to remember that the decisions we make aren't always the right ones.
If you want to live a good life, you have to learn how to care about the life you're living. And the things that are happening in it and around it.
Without God you will constantly step back into the darkness, away from the things you really need.
Instead of trusting just yourself, or everything the world says, learn to trust God.
Ultimately, He knows what's best for us, and He has a plan that surpasses all of our understanding.
We don't even know what He has in store, but I promise you that it will be good. It will be worth everything.
Jonah 2:6, "'To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.'"
If you embrace the truth of everything I just shared, you'll realize how much you've been missing out on trying to do things on your own.
And remember, a plant can not grow without necessary nutrients. So if you want to grow, and live a good life, care about the life you're living. Care about the things you're consuming.
The only way you're going to thrive is if you finally understand that everything happens for a reason, and there's a reason why you were created by God. A reason why your life was planned.
In the end, no life is unplanned.
Thanks for reading this blog! I hope you learned something!! Also, stay tuned for more information on my next book!! ~Ella
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