When You Hate Your Circumstances
Leader Guide
Life has a way of getting messy. Sometimes, circumstances overtake us or people get in the way of our plans. Occasionally, we are in a certain situation because of our own bad choices and actions. When we are dealing with a crisis, what we do and where we turn amid the trouble can determine how it is resolved. Jonah, in the middle of a mess of his own making, turned his heart back to God for rescue. We can turn to God, no matter what circumstances are surrounding us.
What you will need: A Bible or your Bible app, a notebook, pen, and highlighter. The verses highlighted below are linked so that you can easily access them during your study time.
Jump Start
Leader: This section is designed to get discussions started, examine God’s truth, and apply it to our week. Life Group leaders should not assume everyone in their group is a Christ follower. Because they are taking part in a Life Group, they must have some openness to knowing more, exploring. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work and let Him lead you as well.
1. Have you ever heard the phrase, “the messy middle?” In what area, hobby, or activity do you usually start off with vigor, then get stuck, finally needing encouragement to finish?
Leader’s Note: Finishing a puzzle, painting, or book gets tedious for many people. Work projects can falter in the middle. This is exaggerated in the middle of a bigger issue, such as a health or relationship crisis, when we can become discouraged and worn down in the long days between the onset and the resolution.
2. Seek God in the middle. Read Jonah 2:1-2 and Psalm 105:4. What is the gap/the middle thing in your life right now? How good (and fast) are you at seeking God in the middle of the crisis, the argument, or temptation? Do you depend on yourself or try to find other options for rescue first? What is one way to remember to press pause and pray?
Leader’s Note: When you seek God, no matter the cause, it changes your perspective. The sooner you “press pause” and turn to Him, the less damage is done. Even if the situation is your “fault” (like it was in Jonah’s case), turning to God and asking for His help and direction changes things. In an argument or temptation, God empowers you to honor Him if you turn to Him in prayer, rather than turning to your typical coping mechanism (anger, your phone, your friends). Listen for His urging and calling to turn to Him in the middle.
3. Follow God while frustrated. Read Jonah 1:1-3 and Jonah 2:9. How do your feelings affect your faith and ability to follow God? Why types of feelings do you experience in a crisis? Why is it important to have faith when things are hard? Do ever feel God urging you to stop and pray during a tough situation? What prevents you? When you do pray, when you turn to Scripture or a praise song, what does this do? How does repentance and obedience honor God in our situations?
Leader’s Note: Jonah was not willing to obey. He FELT reaching the Ninevites was a bad assignment. But feelings should not drive your faith or your obedience. It is a choice to follow God, even when you do not understand (or agree with) God. We are made to worship and follow Him, becoming vessels, not utensils to be used and manipulated by Him. But God is faithful when we completely trust Him and follow, even when we do not understand.
4. What does Titus 3:2 instruct you to do / not do when things are not going well? Why did Paul need to write this to the believers of this time? Who are you talking to more: friends, family, or God?
Leader’s Note: In a crisis is the time to get more disciplined with our thoughts and with our mouth. Controlling your mouth, your attitudes, and thoughts is imperative. You can disagree, but it is never okay to slander. If you are talking more about your problem to others than you are praying about it, you are not seeking God, His direction, and rescue.
5. Read Jonah 2:10. After Jonah gets right with God, what happens? Why? Pray: Lord, how can I better honor You in my situation? Then be quiet. Listen. Be ready to submit to His guidance and do it. Write down any verse He brings to your mind. Move in the direction and next steps He gives you. Action Step: determine in your heart right now that you will stop, pray, and seek God in the next storm of your life.
Leader’s Note: Jonah's spiritual posture of submission towards God made a major change in Jonah’s situation. God does not always promise “A” if we do “B,” but He does promise that when we seek Him, it changes things—because it changes us. It gives us peace, joy, perspective, and spiritual security.
Deeper
Leader: This section is designed for further use in your Life Group or for personal study. These can also be used as discussion points and ways to stay connected with your group throughout the week. Encourage your group to take time daily to walk through these questions.
6. Read Jonah 1. What did God ask of Jonah? How do you know the events that followed are directly related to his disobedience? In verses 11-16, how do you feel Jonah acts? How are the men in the boat changed?
Leader’s Note: In vs 3, Jonah is clearly running from God. In vs 4, the Lord sends the storm. In vs. 9-10, and 12, Jonah explains what he has done and why God is upset and causing the storm. In his admission and suggestion that if they throw him over, God will be satisfied, Jonah seems already to have begun repenting or at least admitting his sin. The sailors, on the other hand, experience the awesome power and sovereignty through the storm and the sudden calming of it.
7. Read Jonah 3:10-Jonah 4:4. This passage occurs after Jonah is delivered from the belly of the great fish and arrives in Nineveh to preach. He delivers the message that Nineveh will be overthrown by God in 40 days for their wicked ways. Why is Jonah upset when God chooses not to destroy Nineveh? What environments and/or mindsets could be causing this petulance? When has your pride or jealousy ever caused you to be annoyed at someone else’s blessing?
Leader’s Note: Jonah has become too focused on himself. After he is rescued from the belly of the fish, he finally agrees to be obedient and deliver God’s message. This must have been a spiritual high for him, but he then becomes upset because the destruction he promised is not going to come to pass. He was more focused on his pride and his strong prophecy than the One who gave him that prophecy. He was not seeing how God used him to bless the people of Nineveh. He only saw that the prophecy was not going to come true, and so his pride was damaged. Sometimes, we get upset when God blesses someone who seems “less perfect” or “less religious” than we are. Part of spiritual maturity is being excited when God’s presence shows up in ANYONE’S life. That would truly be the attitude of Jesus. Jesus’ mission was for all people (sinner and religious, rich and poor, sick and healthy, Jew and Gentile) to see and experience God’s presence and power.
8. Jesus compares Himself to Jonah in Luke 11:29-32. In what ways are they similar?
Leader’s Note: Like Jesus, Jonah had a mission to seek and save the lost. But he ran from his assignment, whereas Jesus was willing came to earth to save us. Jonah was willing to be sacrificed to save the sailors. Jesus willingly offered Himself on the cross. The seas were miraculously calmed in both cases. Jesus was in the tomb for three days, just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days. The most important similarity and difference is that both Jesus and Jonah were sent to preach repentance. The people of Nineveh repented; the Hebrews of Jesus’ time did not, even though one supremely greater was preaching and revealing Himself to them.