Jonah (Jonah 4)
Have you ever been so depressed that you thought you would be better off dead? If so, you aren't alone. Many people from almost the beginning of time, have been in that dark place where they have cried out to God to take their lives. When he doesn't, many have tried to take their own. Many fail, but many succeed as we know.
Jonah was one that wished that God would let him die. He had been called to preach to the city of Nineveh because it was a wicked city. Jonah was not pleased with this at all. He had tried to run away and as we know, he ended up in the belly of a fish that had come along and swallowed him up.
He was there for three days and three nights praying that for God to save him. and then the fish vomited him out.
How depressing that would have been to first be swallowed by a fish and then be vomited out. But, Jonah knew that God was serious about his command to go and preach to the city of Nineveh. So he did as the Lord asked him to.
God had mercy on all that turned to him during Jonah's preaching. But this did not make Jonah happy either.And why was that?
Because they were wicked perhaps and he felt they did not deserve God's mercy. He would rather see them destroyed.
He in fact, got very mad..And he prayed:
"Now O Lord, take away my life. For it is better for me to die then to live." (verse 3)
Jonah was angry. And God had mercy on him anyway. And yet, after that, he was still angry. (verse 9) and wanted to die.
Sometimes we get angry with God. Sometimes our own mistakes and disobedience takes us to the place that we just want God to end it all. Maybe even those things that were out of our control can get us to that point.
What a tragedy especially for those that do end their lives. Not just for them but for their loved ones that are left behind.
Instead, God has mercy on us when we turn to him. Those things do not have to define who we are or what he can do for us to bring us to where he wants us. I don't believe it is a sin to be depressed. at times.There are reasons for depression. But we should not turn away from God and be angry with him as Jonah had done. That would be the sin that we would need to confess. Instead we need to look to him because he is where our help comes from.It may be through our church or bible study. It may be through our friends that will listen and pray for us. It may be through Christian doctors and mental health services. It is out there and God can get us to the place that we need to get past those dark places where satan wants to destroy us. Because friends, satan is the root of our despair and God wants deliver us of it.
And that church that I mentioned yesterday that had taught we should always be happy? Instead, they could have better helped us if they would have taught us about the people in the bible that were depressed at times, and then gave us the other side. That God can and does have mercy on us when we truly turn to him.There are answers and sometimes we just have to look for them. Either for ourselves or for those that we know are suffering with it.
October 29, 2019 Promise:Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows James 1:17
Thanks for coming by today Friends. God bless you and yours!.
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