A Study in Prayer

It’s time for another 30-Day Devotional highlight. My fifth one “A Study in Prayer” was originally released in January of 2022, and it is one of my absolute favorites. In fact, it was really difficult for me to choose just one devotional from it for this highlight. Really difficult.

“A Study in Prayer” is so special for me because it transformed my prayer life. In fact, I should reread it at least every year (maybe every six months) because my prayer life was healthiest when I was writing it and shortly thereafter. I needed this devotional study whether anyone else did or not, and I still look back on it so grateful for such a precious gift from the Lord.

As hard as it was to choose, I finally settled on “Seriously Displeased,” which is Day 29 of the study, for this highlight. I hope you enjoy it!

Seriously Displeased

“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.” -Jonah 4:1

Jonah 3:10-4:11

None of us like to admit it. We feel guilty about even feeling or thinking that way. But, if we’re completely honest, sometimes, like Jonah, we get seriously displeased, even downright angry, with God. Sometimes, we don’t like what He tells us to do. Sometimes, we’re not happy with the things He allows to happen to us. Sometimes, the fact that children battle cancer or go hungry at night and He, in His power, doesn’t put a stop to it rubs us the wrong way. Sometimes, flawed as we are, we get upset with God. Now, hopefully, our frustration, displeasure, anger (whatever you want to call it) is never over His sparing souls from destruction as Jonah’s was in our passage. That is cause only for praise and rejoicing, and Jonah was completely and totally in the wrong for feeling the way he did.

That said, Jonah was right to turn to the Lord in prayer feeling the way he did. He was right to go to God with those emotions and honestly tell the Lord he was so angry he wanted to die.

In our lives, when we’re struggling with feelings of anger and frustration, when we’re not happy with God, we don’t need to respond to those feelings and emotions by deciding to give God the silent treatment. We don’t need to quit praying. Like Jonah, we need to pray when we’re upset with God. We need to honestly tell Him we’re mad and why.

After Jonah prayed, God challenged him to consider whether he was right to feel as he did. God then used a simple plant to work on Jonah’s perspective, to make him see He had every right to spare the people of Nineveh.

When we pray even when we’re upset with God, when we take Him our frustrations and anger, we’re inviting Him to work on our heart. We’re inviting Him to help us see things from His perspective. We’re seeking His help overcoming those feelings we know we shouldn’t have. That’s why it’s so important that we keep praying even when we’re not particularly happy with God.

Pray–even when you’re upset with God.