Do You Have a Jonah Complex?

How many lessons can we glean from this short but powerful book of the Prophet Jonah?
 

In how many ways might we be able to identify with the person of Jonah? Do we suffer from the same “Jonah-complex?” Why not enter our own hearts and make a brief but sincere examination of conscience. Pray and respond interiorly to these thought-provoking questions!

1. RESISTANCE! How often in our lives have we heard God calling us clearly—as in the case of Jonah—and we purposely closed our ears to that call?
 

2. FLIGHT! Worse yet! How often have we heard the call insistently and clearly and not only have we resisted but, worse yet, turned our backs on God—like the Prodigal Son—and ran in the opposite direction? Maybe it happened within the last 48 hours?
 

3. SURPRISE DIVINE INTERVENTION. In His Divine Providence and infinite goodness, how often has God–like Francis Thompson’s “Hound of Heaven”–sought us out despite our resistance and flight from Him—pursuing us and tracking us down?
 

4. STORMS. Spiritual, emotional, moral, social, familial, and economic storms! How often has God intervened—possibly in a very powerful and unexpected way—sending some powerful storm in your life to bring you back to the right path? God is a mortal enemy of complacency. In a clear and cutting way God reminds us of this in the Book of the Apocalypse: “You are neither hot nor cold—I wish you were—but you are lukewarm. Therefore, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” Sometimes God is forced to descend in torments, storms and tempests to shock us out of our lukewarm, anemic, indolent spiritual malaise! Augustine reacted violently to lukewarmness—after God sent storms in his life—with these words: “Lord, cut me in this life, burn me in this life, but save me for the life to come!”
 

5. SURPRISE CONVERSIONS! True, conversion is the work of God in His way, His time and His manner. However, God often utilizes secondary means to bring about the conversion of individuals, families and even nations! Jonah’s shock was the conversion of these Ninevites; he was expecting quick chastisement and total annihilation! However, God had other plans…surprise plans. God wanted Jonah simply to obey, to say “yes” to Him as His instrument and then God would do the rest! Could it be right now that God is calling you and calling me to be a modern Jonah? Could it be that our timidity, our fear, our lack of total trust in God is blocking God’s work in the conversion of one, many, maybe even a multitude? What would have happened if Saul had never converted to St. Paul, if Simon was never converted to St. Peter, if Augustine was never converted to Saint Augustine? Today if you hear His voice harden not your hearts! “Speak, O Lord for your servant is listening!”

By:  Fr. Ed Broom, http://fredbroom.blogspot.com/