God Appointed a Plant

Sooner or later our complaining and discontent hearts will catch us out. When this occurs, it is a good thing. It gives us time to examine what we believe to be true about our circumstances.

What about you? Are you caught in discontent, in complaining, and grumbling?

When this is your reality it is a clear indication that your focus is off, that you are not looking at life correctly. Your value system, your worldview, is revealed and you are the author of it.

Once this occurs it is time to consider what is true about our day to day activities. Yes, we are accountable for the choices we make, yet God is sovereign over them. Although He is in control of all the details of all of our lives – we have the freedom to choose how to respond, to live for His glory. To choose to be obedient and faithful.

When complaining begins to rule our thoughts, lack of gratitude is inevitable. Soon we will accuse the Lord of slighting us, of not being fair, we will begin to deny His goodness in any and all area of our lives. This is a dangerous place to be.

Without stopping to correct our thoughts, we will down-spiral to sinful behavior patterns. Our thoughts will direct our actions. Remember Jonah, his unchecked heart attitude became tightly closed to appreciating any of the goodness of God in his circumstances.

“Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, "It is better for me to die than to live." But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die." And the LORD said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” (Jonah 4:6-11)

If you find your thoughts, and responses, to the Lord’s sovereign dispensations in your life leave you grumbling, frustrated and angry – stop.

Stop it now!

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An immediate action plan is called for:

1. Start a gratitude journal.

2. List all your comforts, the small ones and the big ones – acknowledge the Lord appointed them all.

3. Daily, write out the benefits, the kindnesses, and the care the Lord has shown you

throughout the day.

1. List all your trials – they too are from the Lord, what is the Lord teaching you?

2. Find someone to encourage – share what the Lord is teaching you with them.

#plant #Jonah