THE JONAH SYNDROME
Parting Thoughts
As I have worked my way through this Old Testament book, Jonah’s flaws have stood out - disobedience, (he ran the other way), denial, (he went to sleep), desperation, (in trouble), disgruntled, (with God’s mercy), despairing, (he wanted to die) and finally a descent, (into a self-centered pity-party.)
Overall, I perceive that the study succeeded, at least by the response to the notes and thoughtful answers to the questions from all of you. However, even in me, the danger in acknowledging how much I resemble the reluctant prophet exists, for now that the study is ended we can forget all about it. James puts his finger on the issue when he wrote - For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing (James 1:23-25).
Assuming that you, like I, have seen yourself in this interesting yet troubled personality, I urge you to consider where you have been disobedient, in denial, desperate, disgruntled, despairing or have descended into thinking that life is all about you, and not about God. It is so easy to get there, and not so easy to climb out. In fact, I don’t think we can have victory in these areas without full surrender to the Lord and relinquishment of our natural tendencies, i.e., our flesh. God is ready and willing to step in to strengthen the one who admits their weakness and turns to Him.
Many of the personal application questions were painful to contemplate, but I am trusting God to use them for His glory. My devotional by F. B. Meyer on May 9th included these words: "A bar of iron, worth $1, when wrought into horseshoes, is worth $2; if made into needles, it is worth $70; if into penknife blades, it is worth $650; if into springs for watches, it is worth $50,000. What a beating the poor bar must undergo to be worth this; but the more it is manipulated, the more it is hammered and passed through the fire, and beaten and pounded, and polished, the greater its value… Yes, great Father, we would like to be watch springs. Take no heed to our cry if sometimes we forget ourselves and say, “How long?"
My prayer for all of us is that we would choose to walk on the narrow road, even when it is difficult, trusting that the Lord walks with us, for He is in us, and He is for us. But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness (Romans 6:10-13).
In Him - Gretchen Horton