Funky like Jonah

I've always enjoyed the old testament story of Jonah and the Whale Big Fish. 
Like all Sunday school staples, there are lessons for the adults, too. 
As a child, Jonah represented  "Obey God" or "You can't run away from an omnipresent God".
Later in life, the lesson of God's provision (sending the big fish so Jonah wouldn't drown) in spite of human failings or disobedience emerged.

This week I've been in a bit of a funk.  Can't quite call it depression.  Can't quite put my finger on the reason.
I think there are several little factors contributing to my restless spirit this week.  Maybe one or two bigger, deeper issues God is bringing to the surface.   Perhaps one of them is how I say I want to be used of/by/for God and His kingdom here on earth, but I don't really want to put in the work.  To count the cost.  I want an easy, pampered life where I only worry about ME.

Either way, I've been in that kind of mood that makes it easy to start playing "Whoa is me" and counting personal failures and hardships above God's blessings.

Yesterday and this morning my Bible opened to Jonah during devotions.  Rediscovered a new lesson.
It comes at the end of the story.  Jonah repented inside the fish's belly, got spit-up on the beach, finally obeyed God, and preached to wicked Nineveh for 3 days.

Okay, Paul Harvey fans.  Do you want to know the rest of the story?

Look up Jonah 3:10 and read through the end of Jonah (chapter 4, verse 11)  (Use the Bible Verse side bar tool if your Bible isn't handy)

The whole purpose of Jonah preaching is accomplished!  The whole city of Nineveh repents and God spares them from destruction!  Praise God!...........

Not Jonah.  He gets angry and in a whiny voice complains to God,  "see, this is why I didn't go in the first place.  You are a compassionate God.  I didn't need to go through all that trouble.  Just end my life now.  I'm tired from this pointless journey you just took me on."  (Britt's paraphrase)

It gets even better.
Jonah sits down outside of Nineveh and waits to see what happens to the city.  (Maybe thinking his little whine-fest prompted God to throw at least a little fire and brimstone.  I'm sure Jonah, who knew the stories of Sodom and Gomorrah,  felt a bit cheated out of a good show.)

Does God smite him where he sits?
No.  God sends a vine to grow and provide shade from the scorching sun.
Jonah is happy.
Next day, God sends a worm that kills the vine, the vine dies and fierce, hot winds assault Jonah.
Jonah wants to die.

Then God asks Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?"
Jonah:   "I do, I am angry enough to die."
God:     "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow....... but Nineveh has more than a 120,000 people who can not tell their right hand from their left.........should I not be concerned about that great city?"

The END.

I put on praise music last night (Jars of Clay hymn remakes).
I feel a little less sulky this morning.
Trying to focus on people instead of vines and my own petty issues.

Trying hard to not be funky like Jonah.