Jonah

“If your family life seems to be sailing on stormy seas, could it be that one of you—a Jonah in some ways—is making the storm rage?” (Ensign, July 1989)

Days to read: 1
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We all know the story of Jonah and the Whale. It’s a simple story, but-WOW- did I learn a lot this time reading it!

First of all, when the scriptures described the raging storm, I felt like that was my life! It really hit home! And to think that Jonah was asleep during the storm. I’m assuming he felt just fine about his decision to go to Tarshish instead of Ninevah, like the Lord commanded him. And then I read the quote above from the Ensign and really had to think hard about the decisions I’m making and whether I can do better.

I also learned that Jonah had an anger problem. After he repented and went to Ninevah and the people there repented, the Lord decided not to destroy them. Boy was Jonah mad! He thought it would better if he died than to live. He decided to sit under a tree (like a stubborn mule I suppose) and just watch what the Lord would do to that city. The Lord asks, “doest thou well to be angry?” (ch. 4:4). The Lord provided a gourd in the tree to give Jonah shade, for which Jonah was grateful. But then the next day God made a worm to smote the gourd and it withered! So Jonah was mad again! Does this seem like my life or what! I’m mad because of something or other, get grateful again for the temporary gourd, get mad again when it falls the very next day, and on and on and on…
The Lord again asks Jonah whether it’s good idea to be angry.

My goal is to not be like Jonah in the anger department. It does not do us well to be angry!

Up next: Nahum