Why does God allow uncomfortable seasons?

Remember Jonah, Remember Jonah, uh by his own choice, has put his life uh by his own choice, has put his life uh by his own choice, has put his life on a downward trajectory. And And on a downward trajectory. And And on a downward trajectory. And And chapter 1 tries to communicate that to chapter 1 tries to communicate that to chapter 1 tries to communicate that to you literarily, but the point is is a you literarily, but the point is is a you literarily, but the point is is a spiritual downward trajectory, right? spiritual downward trajectory, right? spiritual downward trajectory, right? Anybody who walks away from God is Anybody who walks away from God is Anybody who walks away from God is always going down. always going down. always going down. So, he went down to Joppa, we read in So, he went down to Joppa, we read in So, he went down to Joppa, we read in chapter 1. And then he goes down into chapter 1. And then he goes down into chapter 1. And then he goes down into this ship, and then he goes down into this ship, and then he goes down into this ship, and then he goes down into the below deck or the belly of the ship. the below deck or the belly of the ship. the below deck or the belly of the ship. So, God in chapter 2 essentially takes So, God in chapter 2 essentially takes So, God in chapter 2 essentially takes him down as far as one can possibly get him down as far as one can possibly get him down as far as one can possibly get on this planet, to the very bottom of on this planet, to the very bottom of on this planet, to the very bottom of the seabed of the Mediterranean Sea. But But this is time for reflection. But But this is time for reflection. This is This is a a purposeful time out. This is This is a a purposeful time out. This is This is a a purposeful time out. Yes, it may feel like a bit of a Yes, it may feel like a bit of a Yes, it may feel like a bit of a coffin-like chamber, coffin-like chamber, coffin-like chamber, but But God is helping him come to his but But God is helping him come to his but But God is helping him come to his spiritual senses. spiritual senses. spiritual senses. Remember the 3 days and 3 nights inside Remember the 3 days and 3 nights inside Remember the 3 days and 3 nights inside of the belly of the fish, when we looked of the belly of the fish, when we looked of the belly of the fish, when we looked at that a few weeks ago, spoke of at that a few weeks ago, spoke of at that a few weeks ago, spoke of justice tempered with compassion.

justice tempered with compassion. justice tempered with compassion. It is an act of of just discipline upon It is an act of of just discipline upon It is an act of of just discipline upon his life. his life. his life. Because God disciplines his children. Because God disciplines his children. Because God disciplines his children. In order to grow us, in order to prune In order to grow us, in order to prune In order to grow us, in order to prune us, in order to purify us, in order to us, in order to purify us, in order to us, in order to purify us, in order to direct us, in order to redirect us, in direct us, in order to redirect us, in direct us, in order to redirect us, in order to align us to him. order to align us to him. order to align us to him. And his discipline might at times feel And his discipline might at times feel And his discipline might at times feel nasty, and at times it might feel very nasty, and at times it might feel very nasty, and at times it might feel very confusing, and it might feel very, very confusing, and it might feel very, very confusing, and it might feel very, very uncomfortable. It might feel harsh, but uncomfortable. It might feel harsh, but uncomfortable. It might feel harsh, but it's always motivated by love if you're it's always motivated by love if you're it's always motivated by love if you're a child of God. a child of God. a child of God. And those of us who are parents And those of us who are parents And those of us who are parents understand that. understand that. understand that. Right? If you're a parent, you Right? If you're a parent, you Right? If you're a parent, you understand the importance of of loving understand the importance of of loving understand the importance of of loving discipline to help your kids discipline to help your kids discipline to help your kids to put them in appropriate time outs. to put them in appropriate time outs. to put them in appropriate time outs. All sorts of ways of doing that, right? All sorts of ways of doing that, right? All sorts of ways of doing that, right? One the ways that it's done One the ways that it's done One the ways that it's done where I come from in the UK is is we where I come from in the UK is is we where I come from in the UK is is we have the bottom step of the staircase in have the bottom step of the staircase in have the bottom step of the staircase in the house, and that's where the kid has the house, and that's where the kid has the house, and that's where the kid has to sit on a time out.

to sit on a time out. to sit on a time out. We call it the naughty step. We call it the naughty step. We call it the naughty step. That's where their wicked little hearts That's where their wicked little hearts That's where their wicked little hearts have to reflect a little bit about on have to reflect a little bit about on have to reflect a little bit about on their activities their activities their activities and their mischief. and their mischief. and their mischief. Everything from you don't throw tantrums Everything from you don't throw tantrums Everything from you don't throw tantrums across the floor at church or across the across the floor at church or across the across the floor at church or across the mall, and you don't throw meatballs mall, and you don't throw meatballs mall, and you don't throw meatballs across the table. across the table. across the table. All of that's important instruction, All of that's important instruction, All of that's important instruction, correction, because you love this child correction, because you love this child correction, because you love this child and you want them to to grow up to be and you want them to to grow up to be and you want them to to grow up to be become a wonderful member of this family become a wonderful member of this family become a wonderful member of this family and a wonderful member of society and and a wonderful member of society and and a wonderful member of society and ultimately to become all that God has ultimately to become all that God has ultimately to become all that God has designed them to be. designed them to be. designed them to be. Discipline is good if it's motivated by Discipline is good if it's motivated by Discipline is good if it's motivated by love and God's discipline here on love and God's discipline here on love and God's discipline here on Jonah's life is not him cruelly trying Jonah's life is not him cruelly trying Jonah's life is not him cruelly trying to slowly digest Jonah inside of a fish. to slowly digest Jonah inside of a fish. to slowly digest Jonah inside of a fish. It's motivated by burning off all the It's motivated by burning off all the It's motivated by burning off all the spiritual nonsense that sticks to us spiritual nonsense that sticks to us spiritual nonsense that sticks to us even as followers of God.

even as followers of God. even as followers of God. Because he loves Jonah. Because he loves Jonah. Because he loves Jonah. Take his correction. Take his correction. Take his correction. Take his correction daily. Embrace his Take his correction daily. Embrace his Take his correction daily. Embrace his correction. Embrace his time outs in correction. Embrace his time outs in correction. Embrace his time outs in your life. While you're sitting there in your life. While you're sitting there in your life. While you're sitting there in the I don't know the the celestial the I don't know the the celestial the I don't know the the celestial naughty step, listen to what God has naughty step, listen to what God has naughty step, listen to what God has said to you. said to you. said to you. Reflect upon your life. Repent of known Reflect upon your life. Repent of known Reflect upon your life. Repent of known sin. Remember to follow Jonah's heart sin. Remember to follow Jonah's heart sin. Remember to follow Jonah's heart path back to God. path back to God. path back to God. Don't waste the opportunity to return Don't waste the opportunity to return Don't waste the opportunity to return from your waywardness every single day. from your waywardness every single day. from your waywardness every single day. Don't be a fool. Don't be a fool. Don't be a fool. Proverbs 6 tells us rebukes of Proverbs 6 tells us rebukes of Proverbs 6 tells us rebukes of discipline are like the path leading to discipline are like the path leading to discipline are like the path leading to life. life. life. Path leading to life. Path leading to life. Path leading to life. God disciplines his own out of love. God disciplines his own out of love. God disciplines his own out of love. So, you take his correction. You take So, you take his correction. You take So, you take his correction. You take his rebuke. You don't take a huff. You his rebuke. You don't take a huff. You his rebuke. You don't take a huff. You take his rebuke. take his rebuke. take his rebuke. You swallow your pride. You humble You swallow your pride. You humble You swallow your pride. You humble yourself and you get on the path of yourself and you get on the path of yourself and you get on the path of life.