Put yourself in Jonah’s shoes. You are feeling miserable and resentful. And here you are, sitting in the sand outside a city you really don’t like. The sun is beating down on you, so you make a shelter. Then God steps in.

The Vine
“The LORD God appointed a plant… that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort” (4:6). The vine was a gift from God, an expression of His kindness. Notice, Jonah was “exceedingly glad because of the plant” (4:6). God’s gift brought comfort, joy, and blessing.

The Worm
“God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered” (4:7). Jonah woke to find that the vine had been chewed up. “God, what are you doing? One day you pour out your blessing, the next day you take it away!” The worm brought sorrow, loss, and disappointment.

What is your worm? You want children, but a child is not born. The person you love is taken from you. Your ministry sees success, but then the worm destroys your good work. The Lord gives. The Lord takes away. That’s what Jonah is learning, and it’s painful.

The Wind
“God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint” (4:8). It’s bad enough to lose your vine. But now the sand was blowing into Jonah’s face, and the sun was beating down. “God, if you are going to take my vine, you might have done it on a cool day.”

What is your vine? Your worm? Your wind? Think about the gifts of God that bring you comfort, joy, and blessing, and thank God for them.

Here are three common reactions to the grace of God:

1. God’s grace makes some people angry
Some folks believe that God must treat everyone the same, opening the door of salvation and waiting to see who will come in. But the Bible speaks of a greater love, in which God takes the initiative. Why did God set His love on you? Because He loved you. No other reason. God extended this saving love to Nineveh. Why Nineveh? Our God does whatever pleases Him (Ps. 115:3). And that made Jonah angry.

2. God’s grace makes some people worship
If you are a Christian, why is it that you believe and someone else in your family does not? Here’s why you believe: God set His love on you. He drew you to Himself. He gave you new life, and you did nothing to deserve it! Apart from God’s grace, you would never have come to Christ. Let God’s grace lead you to worship. You will find yourself asking, “Why me?”

3. God’s grace makes some people pray
If all God could do is open the door of salvation and then leave it up to us, there would be little point in praying for the lost. The reason we pray is that God takes the initiative. If God can swoop into your life uninvited, He can do that for others as well.

God’s grace will either make you angry or lead you to worship and prayer. God gently led Jonah away from being angry about grace and into worship and prayer, which is why he ends his great song of praise with “Salvation belongs to the LORD!” (Jon. 2:9).

Are you more inclined to be angry, worshipful, or prayerful in response to God’s grace?

Why is Jonah complaining to God? What is going on in his heart? “That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish.” This is a marvellous example of undermining your own repentance.

Jonah repented, and God forgave him, but now Jonah wants to explain why he went to Tarshish. He feels that there was some justification, some defence for what he did. As soon as you start explaining why you sinned, you undermine your own repentance.

Repentance says, “I did this. I am sorry, I take full responsibility, and I trust myself to the mercy of God.” Self-justification says, “You need to understand why I did this. There is a good reason. Let me explain my disobedience.”

A great struggle goes on in every human soul between repentance and self-justification. You think, “Well, there’s another side to this. Look at the pressure I was under, the lack of support. It would have been amazing if I hadn’t fallen!”

Does this sound familiar? A man has an affair. He repents. He takes responsibility, and he says he is sorry. But later, he begins to explain himself. And the explanation undermines the repentance.

There’s a subtle change going on in Jonah. He used to see himself as a sinner who finds hope in God. Now he sees himself as a man who can explain the wrongs in his life before God!

“I went to Tarshish, and I know that was wrong, but actually, God, it’s your fault! If You judged the wicked like You should, there wouldn’t have been a problem, but I knew that you are a God who relents from sending calamity. That is why I was so quick to flee.”

When you feel that there is an explanation for your sins, you undermine your own repentance, and you will become angry toward God.

Can you think of a time when you undermined your own repentance with explanations?