Live event from Hemingway, SC. Not many years ago I was a modern-day Jonah, rebelliously running from the calling that God had placed on my life. And just like Jonah in days of old, the storms had come into my life. So much destruction had descended upon my family and me because of my own failure to simply obey God.
But like Jonah, I found myself in a miserable place where I had no choice but to relent and surrender to God’s higher call on my life. The misery, anxiety, discomfort, worrying, arguing and everything else were just symptoms of my deeper problem, my heart wasn’t right with God and I wasn’t walking with Him. I was not in God’s will for my life.
My message is simple and direct. “If you aren’t doing what God has called you to do, you need to stop and immediately get right with God.”
Sure, making changes will be hard at first. There might be various challenges, discomforts, and inconveniences. But so what? Is your life producing what you want it to right now? Surely it will be better to do it God’s way and trust Him to produce the best outcome. That’s how it worked for Jonah. That’s how it worked for me and that’s how it will work for you.
Compare your life to Jonah: - Have you chosen to listen? - Are you walking out the door and headed to the dock? - Are you walking down the dock and ready to board the boat? - Are you comfortable on the boat? - Have you fallen asleep while the storm rages around you? - Are others hurting around you? - Are you comfortable in the middle of the storm? Anytime you are ready to turn back and start implementing God’s will in your life, God is ready for you.
Jonah could have turned back after he walked out the door, he could have jumped off the boat and swam back to the dock, but he didn’t. He was committed to his plan, therefore the consequences of his actions were quite severe for himself and those around him. Had he stopped at the door would things have been the same? Only God knows for sure but I’m willing to say his consequences for disobeying God wouldn’t have been as severe. The same goes for you and me. No matter where you are on this journey it’s time to stop and turn towards God.