Have you ever been so angry that you wished you were dead?

Jonah was, and his rage wasn't directed at his enemies, but at God's mercy.

Today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindall exposes the toxic nature of selfishness, and he does so by citing a successful yet bitter evangelist named Jonah.

In this study, we'll see how Jonah's isolation resulted in twisted thinking, and we'll see how his story serves as a mirror that reflects our own flaws.

Most importantly, we'll compare Jonah's self-absorption with Christ's radical selflessness.

Chuck titled his message, Ticked Off to the Bitter End.

I speak today, I realize, to some of you who will find yourself feeling just like Jonah.

So be aware, it's not just for you, it's for us, myself included. It'll reveal who God is and also who we are.

I'll be reading from the fourth chapter of this book of Jonah, the last several verses, but we're not through.

We'll have one more message next week on lessons learned from a stubborn preacher, which certainly was Jonah.

But I'll be reading for you today, Jonah chapter 4, verses 5 through 11 from the new living translation.

Jonah 4 verse 5.

Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city.

And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there.

And soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah's head, shading him from the sun.

This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

But God also arranged for a worm.

The next morning at dawn, the worm ate through the stem of the plant

so that it withered away.

And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah.

The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die.

Death is certainly better than living like this, he exclaimed.

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