As I was working on this study I came across a devotion that at first kind of offended me, to be honest. It was called "Joy" by Beni Johnson, on of the several devotions in the book Spiritual Java. When I first started reading this devotion I was excited about it until I read, "Heaven has no depression in it, so we have no legal right to be depressed. If you are depressed, you need to recheck your life." I was like how can you say that to someone that is depressed? As I continued reading I was really glad that I didn't let that stop me from continuing on reading it. As I read on that phrase kept popping back into my mind. See my attitude about that phrase was wrong and I had to recheck my own life as to why I would have let that almost stop me from being blessed by what God had in store in that devotion. As I did that it became clear that this was all about Jonah and how he rejected entering into the joy that God had planned for his life.
When God first told Jonah of His plan, Jonah chose to be disobedient and go as far as he could in the opposite direction. God had to redirect him with a big fish. However, Jonah may have done what God wanted him to do, the city was saved, yet Jonah's heart was not in it. I'm sure that if Jonah's heart was in it chapter 4 would be different. Jonah knew that God was merciful, yet he himself didn't want God to extend His mercy. In verses 2 and 3 of chapter 4 we see that Jonah was still opposed to God, So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” (Jonah 4:2-3 NKJV).
God gave Jonah a couple chances to recheck his heart. The only problem is that after the second time that God reached out to Jonah the book ends. We will not know on this side of eternity what happened. Did Jonah finally see things God's way? Did he finally rejoice with God for what happened?
Likewise, if I had just skipped reading the devotion a nd moved on to another one I would not have read, "I can’t carry the heaviness. Jesus already did that; He carried it all to the cross." This is one thing that we forget when we are discouraged and depressed, we feel as if we are being crushed under a heavy weight. I know many times I have heard it said to take your burdens to the cross. The problem is that I would take them there but not leave them because I would want to make sure it was my way, just like Jonah. When we do that the burden just gets heavier and heavier. Knowing God is in control is one thing, Jonah knew what God would do if the people had a heart change towards Him and that is not at all what he wanted. When we pick our burdens back up and not leave them at the cross we are not in agreement with God and His will. We are saying that we know better than God how the outcome of this situation should go even though we asked Him to deal with it. God will then say to us, "Fine My child, when you are ready to get out from under the burden that you are not made to, or asked to carry, then and only then can I carry it."
Let's enter into to God's exchange program and give Him our heavy burdens that are weighing down on us, in exchange He will give us joy and rest. The great thing about joy that God gives us has an extra bonus, "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). When we feel like we can't go any further and surrender our will to His will, we will get His joy and strength that comes from joy to continue.
When God first told Jonah of His plan, Jonah chose to be disobedient and go as far as he could in the opposite direction. God had to redirect him with a big fish. However, Jonah may have done what God wanted him to do, the city was saved, yet Jonah's heart was not in it. I'm sure that if Jonah's heart was in it chapter 4 would be different. Jonah knew that God was merciful, yet he himself didn't want God to extend His mercy. In verses 2 and 3 of chapter 4 we see that Jonah was still opposed to God, So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” (Jonah 4:2-3 NKJV).
God gave Jonah a couple chances to recheck his heart. The only problem is that after the second time that God reached out to Jonah the book ends. We will not know on this side of eternity what happened. Did Jonah finally see things God's way? Did he finally rejoice with God for what happened?
Likewise, if I had just skipped reading the devotion a nd moved on to another one I would not have read, "I can’t carry the heaviness. Jesus already did that; He carried it all to the cross." This is one thing that we forget when we are discouraged and depressed, we feel as if we are being crushed under a heavy weight. I know many times I have heard it said to take your burdens to the cross. The problem is that I would take them there but not leave them because I would want to make sure it was my way, just like Jonah. When we do that the burden just gets heavier and heavier. Knowing God is in control is one thing, Jonah knew what God would do if the people had a heart change towards Him and that is not at all what he wanted. When we pick our burdens back up and not leave them at the cross we are not in agreement with God and His will. We are saying that we know better than God how the outcome of this situation should go even though we asked Him to deal with it. God will then say to us, "Fine My child, when you are ready to get out from under the burden that you are not made to, or asked to carry, then and only then can I carry it."
Let's enter into to God's exchange program and give Him our heavy burdens that are weighing down on us, in exchange He will give us joy and rest. The great thing about joy that God gives us has an extra bonus, "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). When we feel like we can't go any further and surrender our will to His will, we will get His joy and strength that comes from joy to continue.