Fairy Tale Endings

Linda Bailey is currently in the Philippines leading a short-term mission trip.  For two weeks she will be sharing some of her favourite REAP posts.  Here is the REAP she has chosen for today…

Sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking that God should always give me fairy tale ending.

Jonah 2.1-10

Reference: v.2
He said:
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help,
and you listened to my cry. (NIV Bible)

Explore: I love romantic comedies. I do love all kinds of movies, but I particularly like romantic comedies. That rollercoaster ride of emotions only to discover that everything works out ok and you finish with your fairy tale ending. I know they are totally unrealistic but it’s a nice escape from the everyday world.
Yet sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking that God should always give me a fairy tale ending. If I call out to Him when I am in distress, He should be just like the male hero in the movie and rescue me making everything perfect in the end. However, that is not how God works.
Here we find Jonah praying to God and proclaiming that the Lord answered his prayers and ‘brought his life up from the pit’. If I read this chapter from verse 2-9 I would think that Jonah is thanking God from bringing him up out of the stomach of the fish. However Jonah is saying this prayer while still in the fish. He was thrown into the stormy water and God provided a great fish to swallow him, I’m not sure that would be quite what I was thinking of when I put out my distress signal to God!!

Application: God doesn’t often answer us with the response we are expecting. While we are looking for a fairy tale ending, God knows what is best for us. Maybe if God had provided another boat for Jonah to be saved in, he would have just continued on his journey away from Nineveh. But God truly knows what is best for us, even if it doesn’t quite align with our fairy tale ideas! When we call out to God in our distress we need to trust that He will do what is best for us.

Prayer: Lord, you made us and you know what is best for us. Help us to seek You in our distress knowing that You are all the hope we need. Amen.