When we are not getting everything out of life that we wanted we often look to others and begin to blame. I have talked to many people that say similar things, "If my parents would just leave me alone..." "If my husband would just not be so..." "If my job wasn't so..." "If my kids would just do..." "If God would only..." We want to blame others, but, when we face problems of different kinds our hearts are revealed to us. A heart that is heavy laden and loaded down with worries, fears, anger, depressions and the like, is a painful thing to bare. Jesus said come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.
One of the reasons that we become frustrated in life is that we don't get what we wanted or expected. In the book of Jonah, we see the prophet Jonah who is running from God because he doesn't want to obey God's commands. We see that alot today, people who are running from God like Jonah. When I was young I thought it was just terrible that they threw Jonah overboard! How could they do that to someone, knowing he would perish in the sea. However, when they threw him overboard the storm stopped. All of them were going to die as long as Jonah was in the boat. When we are running from God, not only do we put our own self at risk, but everyone around us suffers too. God delivered him from the belly of the whale when he repented and he set out to obey the voice of the Lord. But, God didn't bring judgement on his enemies like he wanted God to do, and Jonah had this to say about it in chapter 4 verse 8
"It would be better for me to die than to live."
There are times when the source of our misery and unhappiness is that we just didn't get what we wanted, when we wanted it. Some people think that is all that life is about...getting what you want, when you want it. This kind of thinking is selfish and childish and only leads to hurt and bitterness and misery. Let go of the things you want, no matter how good your intentions are and put your focus and attention on Jesus. Try not to think about how you didn't get this or that, and how unfair life is. These thoughts only lead to greater pain, and do not benefit anyone.
In the old testament the nation Isreal were counted as God's people. The tribe of Juday split off of Isreal for a while, and nation of Isreal and Judah became like sisters each having their own King to rule over them. Isreal sinned and God punished them for their sins and though Judah saw all of this Judah did not repent either. Here is what God said of Judah at the time.
In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense," declares the LORD. Jeremiah 3:10
Whatever part of our heart that we hold back from God is the part of us that will choose to remain in sin. Jonah wanted to hold back his hate for the Ninevites, and did not want to give that to God, so that God could cleanse him of it. It was that black part of his heart that made him want to die instead of live. Are you holding back part of your heart from God? You will find more peace and satisfaction and the joy of his salvation when you give all of your heart to him.
