#soap # Jonah 02 ## Title: Troubles Don’t Last Forever ## Scripture: (Jonah 2:10) “Then the Lord commanded the fish and it vomited Jonah out onto dry land.” (NET) ## Observation: I am not saying that what I experienced was anything close to Jonah. I am saying that my experience helped me understand how difficult times can seem like they last forever. When I was younger in life, things were not going well. Financially, my family needed more income to sustain our lives. Therefore, I had to take on another job at a place I did not like. I hated having to go there and do the work. However, I had no choice. My family needed the money. Every morning I would pray and ask God why I had to do that job. Every. Single. Morning. Finally, it occurred to me that the Lord was in control. If He had me there, He had His reasons. There was no use in me complaining. So, my new goal was to pray and thank the Lord for that terrible job every morning instead of complaining. I didn’t mean a word of it for a while. But, as I kept doing it, the prayer became easier. Finally, one morning I prayed that prayer and meant it. I was truly thankful the Lord had given me the opportunity to support my family. I didn’t even mind the people I was working with. That very day, I received a call with the offer of a much better job that was worth taking. I still believe the whole situation was God teaching me to be thankful because bad circumstances do not last forever. ## Application: Thank God for something you don’t like. He may be using it to teach you something you could learn in no other way. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for always leading, guiding, and directing us.