EXPAND TO READ: JONAH 4 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verses 10-11): Father, these two verses speak so loudly to me today. I often get so angry at such small things that I neglect to care for the big picture in the moment. Please forgive me for my narrow sightedness. Forgive me for often dwelling on the small things in this life, typically defaulting to anger over them. Forgive me for not showing compassion, mercy, and being slow to anger through all things, just as You have shown us here, Father. Help me to remember that You are always in control and that the anger I often default to even for the slightest of things is NOT in any way how I should act according to Your will for my life.
PROMISE (verse 2): Your promise here is more so about Your identity and default nature than anything. You promise us that You are merciful, compassionate, rich in faithful love, slow to anger, and one who is slow to sending disaster on Your people. Thank You for always showing us the way we’re to be acting, Father. If I can only mimic these characteristics of You, then I would be far better at living out Your will for my life.
ATTITUDE (verses 2, 4, 9): This one is quite simple for me as it’s been a struggle of mine throughout my entire life. Help me to be better at the “slow to anger” characteristic, Father. Help me to be better at knowing when righteous anger is justified and letting all other situations not stir up my anger. Help me to rid myself of this horrible default of anger I’ve been living in for pretty much my entire life, Father, so that I may be slow to anger just like You.
COMMAND (verses 4, 9): You repeat Yourself with pretty much the same question to Jonah twice. Both questions ask him if it is right for him to be angry in those moments. You are attempting to help him realize his selfish mistake on his own, but he is obviously stubborn just like me, Father. Help me to be less like Jonah in relation to my default of anger, Father. Help me to follow this command of Yours so that I question myself in those moments that I want to go to my anger. Help me to realize that You do not sanction the anger I often default to in all moments, especially since most of the time it’s a selfish anger and very rarely a righteous anger.
EXAMPLE (verses 10-11): The example You provide here is so powerful to me, personally. You give Jonah a plant for a day to prove a point. Then You have that plant wither away the very next day. Jonah becomes so angry over the plants demise, yet You use it as an example of why You showed grace and mercy to Nineveh. You used that experience as an example to Jonah of why anger should only be used in rare circumstances. The town had thousands of people and years of history to it. Even though they made mistakes often, You did not feel that it was worthy of unrelenting anger in the moment. Just as the plant for Jonah should not have been an experience for his unrelenting anger as it did provide him enormous comfort at least for a day, the town of Nineveh provided the same for many years and generations. Help me to be better at following this example in my life, Father. Help me to be better at learning from my mistakes and becoming slower to anger. I know it will be a tough road for me to navigate, but I know with You guiding me that all things are possible.
*DAILY NOTE: Why do I struggle so much with my anger, Father? Was it my upbringing and all of the anger that surrounded me there? Was it the military and the lifestyle changes that brings into one’s life? Was it unresolved issues in my emotional state across my life that I need to deal with through You? Is it a combination of all of these? That last one is most likely the case. I know I’ve gotten better as of late since joining the Real Men 300 and getting serious about my faith, but I also know I have a LOT more work to do when it comes to my anger. Help me be better at this, Father, but also please help me to identify the “why” in the moment easier and quicker so that I can learn from those experiences and lean on You for help.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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