Please Do Not Run From the Will of God

Guest Author: Kelly Beth

It’s not in your best interest to skirt around God and His commands. It is so genuinely terrifying to me in today’s Christian culture how obsessed the masses are with this idea of “do whatever makes you feel good!” or “if what you presume God is telling you to do doesn’t match up with the way things are typically done, then by all means, go your own way.” This whole line of thinking needs to be tossed in the trash. I’m learning this firsthand. Feelings are so fleeting and can absolutely distort your ability to make wise decisions which honor God best. I’ve learned first hand! There are so many examples of men and women in scripture who had the choice to either do as the Lord commanded or run. Do as the Lord commanded, or perish. 

“Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous. And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee. So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows. Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

Jonah 1

Every time I read the accounts of Jonah, I’m astonished at his will to turn his back on the Lord’s direct instruction. All Jonah had to do was go to Nineveh and preach. I picture a man crossing his arms, turning up his nose and saying “nooooooooo” similar to a young child who disobeys his father’s gentle commands. It’s quite literally a miracle God didn’t strike him dead.  I’m overwhelmed at the grace the Lord gave and His patience as He waited for Jonah to repent. 

“Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”

Jonah 2

Jonah’s account is a depiction of the Lord’s grace when we disobey and a warning to us TO obey whatever He commands, as He commands. We might not get swallowed up by a whale, but, whatever the consequence, is it worth it? 

Please, I plead with you, do not run from the will of God. Running is never worth it. 

I can think of so many ministry opportunities over the years, where I had chances to witness to people, hand out gospel tracts, polish up my devotional content and publish, and I thwarted His voice out of pure laziness and fear. 

Please do not thwart or quench the voice of the Spirit ladies, it’s so not worth it in the end. If He tells you to pray for someone, please do it, do it until He says stop. If He tells you not to get into that relationship OR to get out of that courting relationship immediately, please obey Him. If He tells you not to take that ministry opportunity or job, just obey Him. He can see what we can’t and it’s foolish to disobey just because we’re comfortable in the moment. Thwarting the voice of God can have severe consequences and it’s just not worth what we may reap because we chose to say no. My prayer for you going into this new year, is that you might find the courage to obey no matter the cost and the ability to say YES, to His will, His plans, His timing and His way, because it’s always perfect and it is best.