Jonah 3:10 (ESV)
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

Alignment with God includes anger over what angers Him, and celebration of what He celebrates.

Jonah 4:1-3
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

We tend to want justice for others, but mercy for ourselves.

All of God’s attributes are to be known and treasured.

Jonah 4:4
And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”

God develops introspection in the lives of His people to move us toward holiness.

Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

We must remain ever-open to God’s transformative inspection of our lives.

Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

The Word of God should be used as a mirror, more than binoculars.

Anger has the potential to be constructive or destructive.

Constructive Anger = always controlled, and harnessed by God’s character

Ephesians 4:26
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger…

Destructive Anger =
1) Prideful

James 1:20
… for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

2) Unproductive

1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

3) Unresolved

Ephesians 4:26-27
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

4) Uncontrolled

Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Jonah 4:5
Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.

Jonah could’ve been a shepherd, but he chose to be a spectator.

Jonah 4:6-11
Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

The heart of our Father demands that we treasure people over temporal things.