Jonah 4:5-9

Jonah left the city and sat down east of it. He made a shelter for himself there and sat down under it in the shade to see what would happen to the city.  The Lord God appointed a little plant and caused it to grow up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to rescue him from his misery. Now Jonah was very delighted about the little plant.  So God sent a worm at dawn the next day, and it attacked the little plant so that it dried up.  When the sun began to shine, God sent a hot east wind. So the sun beat down on Jonah’s head, and he grew faint. So he despaired of life, and said, “I would rather die than live!”  God said to Jonah, “Are you really so very angry about the little plant?” And he said, “I am as angry as I could possibly be!”

It's almost as if Jonah is still hoping for the destruction of Nineveh, even though God already revealed His plans for mercy. Before we judge Jonah too harshly, there are times in all of our lives when we know we are wrong, yet we can't help but to feel that wrong in our hearts. Thankfully, it is in these times when we have an opportunity to take our feelings, thoughts, and motives and lay them at the throne of grace. Jonah is being shown and taught mercy and compassion even as he still feels anger in his heart toward God. Praise God that He shows us this kind of mercy.