Disappointment With God (Sermon Blog)
Series Recap: Over the past few weeks, we’ve followed Jonah through his rebellion, repentance, and redemption. By chapter 4, you might expect a happy ending—but instead, Jonah is angry, frustrated, and disappointed with God. Pastor Steve closed out our Jonah series by asking a tough question: Have you ever been disappointed with God?
When God’s Plans Don’t Match Ours
Jonah had just witnessed one of the greatest revivals in history—120,000 people in Nineveh turning to God. Yet instead of rejoicing, he was furious. Why? Because God showed mercy to people Jonah thought didn’t deserve it.
“This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry.” — Jonah 4:1
Jonah wanted judgment, not grace. But God had other plans, reminding us that His mercy often offends our sense of fairness.
1. Let God Be God
We all have moments when we question God’s decisions. Like Jonah, we can find ourselves saying, “God, you got this one wrong.”
Pastor Steve reminded us that:
God’s ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8–9).
He sees the full picture; we only see fragments.
The goal isn’t to instruct God—it’s to trust Him.
When we try to control or second-guess God, we step into a role that was never ours to fill. True peace begins when we let God be God—trusting His wisdom, even when life doesn’t make sense.
2. Let God Into Your Disappointment
When life hurts, our instinct is often to pull away from God. Yet that’s when we need Him most.
Jonah stormed out of Nineveh, built a shelter, and sulked—waiting to see if God might still destroy the city. But God met Jonah right there, even in his anger.
God is big enough to handle our emotions. He can take our honesty, our frustration, and even our silence.
Talk to Him about what hurts.
Don’t let disappointment turn into distance.
Remember: God can heal what you hand Him.
“God can handle your confusion, anger, and frustration—but you have to invite Him into that space.” — Pastor Steve
3. Recognize God’s Grace in Every Season
While Jonah sat pouting, God provided a leafy plant to give him shade. Jonah loved the comfort, but when a worm destroyed the plant the next day, he was angry again. God used this moment to teach him—and us—about grace.
Three reminders from Jonah’s plant:
The vine represents God’s blessing.
The worm represents God’s correction.
The wind represents God’s testing.
Sometimes God uses blessing to get our attention; other times He allows pain to shape our hearts. Both come from His love.
“We can either get bitter or get better.” — Pastor Steve
4. Love the “Ninevites” in Your Life
God’s final question to Jonah is one that echoes to this day:
“Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?” — Jonah 4:11
Jonah wanted revenge; God wanted redemption. The real test of faith isn’t loving people who agree with us—it’s loving those we don’t understand.
Pastor Steve challenged us to:
See people as human beings, not as categories or stereotypes.
Listen to their stories before judging their choices.
Ask God to help us see others through His eyes, not our own.
In a divided world, Christians should lead with compassion. The same grace we receive from God is the grace He calls us to extend—even to the “Ninevites” in our lives.
Lessons from Jonah’s Ending
The book of Jonah ends with a question mark, not a period. We don’t know how Jonah responded—but we do know that God’s story of mercy continues through us.
Three takeaways from Jonah 4:
Let God be God.
Let Him into your disappointment.
Let His love shape how you see others.
When we trust God’s plan, even in disappointment, He transforms bitterness into healing and frustration into faith.
This Sunday, Pastor Steve will kick off the new series on 1 & 2 Peter called “Simon Says.”
Join us as we continue learning how God transforms ordinary, stubborn hearts into strong foundations of faith.