Rerouted: 30 Days Through the Book of JonahSample

When God Exposes What We Refuse To See

Brittany J. Turner

Jonah 4:6-9

Have you ever been so desperate to prove a point that reason faded into the background? I have — I’ve argued past wisdom and sanity just to be right.

This is where we find Jonah. Though his mission in Nineveh was complete, he lingered not out of love or hope but to watch the city burn (Jonah 4:5). His hatred ran so deep that he chose “discomfort” (Jonah 4:6) over going home. He chose anger over repentance and rest.

Yet here is the beauty of grace: God remains. Even in Jonah’s stubbornness, God stayed close enough to speak to him (Jonah 4:9). And God provides. He even offered a plant that grew and shielded Jonah from the scorching sun. For the first time in Jonah's story, we see him feel joy — he was “exceedingly glad because of the plant” (Jonah 4:6). But before Jonah could settle into comfort, God sent a worm to destroy it.

A worm. Not an earthquake and not a storm like in Jonah 1:4. God chose something small yet effective, taking time to obliterate a plant that had provided shade. This unique method reminds us that in God's dealings with both Jonah and the people of Nineveh, He was after their hearts. Just as He gave Nineveh time to repent (Jonah 3:4), He granted Jonah grace and space to see himself clearly.

God waits. But Jonah never embraced God’s perspective, and his heart didn't soften as he sat waiting for Nineveh's destruction. Still, God exposed what Jonah refused to acknowledge: that his heart was just as hardened as the Ninevites' once were.

We can all be like Jonah when we act stubborn, cling to bitterness, justify anger and refuse to surrender. I know I’ve held onto hurt and longed for judgment instead of praying for repentance. Yet Jonah reminds us that God in His grace both comforts us in these moments and confronts us.

The choice stands before us: Will we double down in our anger or accept the forgiveness we have received from God and extend it to others? Will we be like Jonah, or will we follow Christ?

God waits with open arms even when we fall short. Let us bury our anger in His grace and move forward in His love, knowing He is present with us every step of the way.