The Book of the Prophet Jonah does not end as we might expect. While in the belly of a fish, the prophet rededicates himself to fulfilling God's purpose. However, he later admits that he did not want to do the job – and the Lord punishes him for his selfishness. The story goes that Jonah is sent to Nineveh, a city whose inhabitants pose a threat to the Jewish people. Unwilling to comply, the prophet fears that if these enemies repent, his merciful God will forgive them. Jonah admits that he wanted the Ninevites to be destroyed: "That is why I fled to Tarshish, because I know that You are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity" (Jonah, Chapter 4, Verse 2*).
Sometimes we oppose God's will because the likely outcome of obedience doesn't appeal to us. Or, like Jonah, we focus on our own desires and comfort, losing sight of what is truly important. But our feelings about what might happen are not reasons to disregard God's plan. If the Lord calls us to act, He will take care of the results. Our job is to obey.
What selfish desire is hindering you from obeying God? Maybe you're too angry with your partner to work on your marriage, or too hurt to take back a repentant friend. However, Christians are not guided by their feelings. What is needed is obedience, and the blessings that result from it may surprise you.
Link to the original article: https://www.intouchuk.org/read/daily-devotions/saying-yes-when-we-want-to-say-no
*Bible quotes are from Bible, new translation from the original languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013