Is The Story Of Jonah Being Used Wrong?

Just about everyone uses Jonah and the belly of the fish as a negative story. A story of "don't do that". A story of disobedience and a story of The Lord's mercy.

And focusing on those concepts is right. But what if they are still incomplete "takes" on the event?

What if the story of Jonah was necessary and good for, Jonah's character and mind?

Quick memory refresh on the story of Jonah. He got direction from The Lord, refused to follow the directions, got a 3 day "time-out" (in the belly of a fish...), and then went and did what he was originally directed to do. (sounds a lot like raising little kids doesn't it...?)

Most people focus on the disobedience, the getting thrown off the ship into the sea, the getting swallowed by the fish, the spit back out and then going and doing what he was supposed to do. Which again is all correct things to focus on.

But there are things in there that few if any seem to talk about.

• Didn't these events start to break his pride?
• Didn't these events start to break his stubbornness?
• Didn't these events start to break his spirit of disobedience?
• Did not the series of events change the path of Jonah's entire character, his entire being going forward into the journey of the rest of his life?
• Did not Jonah come out of that story a better man and a better servant to The Lord?

Was the journey bad? Yes

Was Jonah's attitude bad? Yes

Was Jonah's attitude still bad after he finally obeyed? Yep, but he was starting on a new journey to change because of the sin he walked out of.

I think there's a lot of value thinking about how Jonah was a changed man after this. How these events impacted his brain, his attitude, his character and how he made decisions in the years to come.

Because we all have a tendency to think about what's in the rearview mirror. We think about the stuff we have gone through and worked through. And how it's lead up to today. But we don't always stop and think about how that is impacting us going into tomorrow, and the day after.

How is your tomorrow different, because of what happened yesterday or today?

How has your attitude started to shift, coming out of that storm you just walked through?

How has your character changed because of that thing that happened to you?

How have your interactions with others become different today as compared to how you interacted with people years ago, because of that chapter in your life?

God Plays Chess Backwards

Which means the events of your yesterday are changing and directing your choices and the events of your tomorrow, according to His will.

And as a side note:

Was Jonah's story a perfect real life example of Romans 8:28? Did you ever connect those 2 parts of the Bible together before now?

Romans 8:28

• And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
• https://www.bible.com/bible/59/ROM.8.28.ESV