I was crazy convicted this week and if you don’t know me very well, you will soon learn that God convicts me frequently and sometimes I am a stubborn mule and sometimes I am flat on my face. I much prefer flat on my face, but sometimes I am just a mule.
Saturday night, I was with a group of friends studying Jonah, we were engaged in awesome conversation and God showed me a glimpse but it was not until late last night around 2am talking with my sweet friend Anna that it really clicked!
So please take a minute to read Jonah, it’s only 4 chapters long. Come back when you’re done, this will make little to no sense if you don’t.
What struck me so deeply was that Jonah turned from the Lord and was fleeing from him, sound at all familiar? We all do this from time to time. And it was decided that he was to be hurled into the sea and was then subsequently swallowed by a fish. On first blush, we look at this and think – dang Jonah, that really sucks! But when I continue to look, I can see God’s protection. I look at times in my life where I have turned my face from God, the 4 years I was in college for example. In those times there was great suffering, great trials and immense pain. BUT I look back and the crap that happened there, it was my big fish. It was horrible in the moment, but through the suffering God shaped my life. He took me from a place of rebellion, pursued me intensely, protected me and led me out. When I got to the point where I realized that I had been a huge mule, and came running back to Jesus, that is when my big fish vomited me onto dry land. Very similar to Jonah, when he pleads to God and called upon the Lord in praise and love, he too was saved. I love his prayer, especially these 2 verses, Jonah 2:8-9 Those who pay regard to vein idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice for you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD!
I’m in no way saying any of this is easy, or that just because you cry out to the Lord you will be freed from suffering. It is that suffering that God uses to make us the women and men we were previously refusing to be. Sometimes we need to realize that what we see as our greatest suffering is in fact God’s protection and provision! How incredibly awesome is that!!! I can look back now on the suffering that took place and PRAISE the LORD for that! I had never been able to say that, I was surviving my suffering instead of praising God fully and completely in that suffering.
Praise the Lord what amazing freedom and peace!!!!
Questions for you: Where are you running from the Lord? Where are you refusing to be obedient? What is your big fish? I pray that the Lord would reveal these things to you as he has so graciously revealed them to me!
