SECOND TIME AROUND
God said, “You’ve been acting like Jonah, but I’m still going to use you!”
Sheesh! When I tell you that just felt like one of the pinches my mom used to give me for talking in church while my Papa was preaching - then she’d tell me, “I love you and did that for your own good!” Y’all I wasn’t expecting that truth God just spoke to me…like Jonah, I’ve been picking and choosing the things God asks of me. I want to say not intentionally, but that would be a lie. So, let me introduce myself. Hi, I’m Jonah and I often run from things God tells me to do. Okay, I’m not really Jonah; I just have a few of his characteristics that I’m working on.
First, let me reintroduce myself. Hi, my name is Vandi - you can call me “V’ as most of my friends do. I have a solid relationship with God and He is my foundation. Though, my soul has tossed and turned due to my disobedience.
In 2016, while worshiping as I drove to work, the words LOVE, OBEY, and TRUST were embedded in my heart and mind. He (God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit) asked me in the most softest tone to love, obey, and trust Him. That day, my response was “Yes, Lord.” A couple months later, I was writing in my journal the messages He shared with me, and He told me it was time to share them in order to build His kingdom. My mother was used as a vessel - she came in my room and said, “You have to start sharing with others what God is giving you - don’t just keep it to yourself within these four walls.” God used her as His messenger and that began the creation of my blogging - even though my last blog was written in 2017.
Has God ever given you something to do or possibly even say, but you’re hesitant with it? Rather it’s out of fear, procrastination, or the acceptance of others? Sounds like Jonah to me, and I’ve been acting like Jonah. Most of us know about Jonah and the whale. But for those of you who don’t, Jonah was a prophet (messenger) of God. God trusted Jonah to fulfill a task, though Jonah was afraid and did the total opposite of what God asked of him…Jonah ran away…or at least He tried.
I tried running away! I had been through so much, especially in 2017, that I no longer wanted or had the desire to write. Clearly I knew my purpose of writing because I heard God when He tasked me with it. So, when God told me I was acting like Jonah, it wasn’t too shocking. Jonah heard God and tried choosing his own route. I heard God and tried choosing my own route. Of course I didn’t get gulped by a real whale like Jonah, but my “whale” was an unrested soul. Deep down I know what God has called me to do and I know my soul will not rest if I continue being disobedient.
I asked myself, “V, can you truly say you love, obey, and trust God yet still run from the things He asks of you?” That was a mind-blown question for me. Though, even in that, God gave me comfort in my discomfort. He told me I still had a chance to do what He requires.
Here I am, 3 years later, starting over again. I refuse to allow my picking and choosing to continue disrupting the purposes God gives me…and I’m not even trying to be gulped by a real whale like Jonah 😂! God is with us wherever we go, and as hard as we may try we cannot hide from Him. He’s sure to get our attention one way or another! When Jonah was thrown into the sea, he could’ve simply drowned. Yet, God sent a big whale to save him and to teach him a lesson! What’s your whale? How is God trying to get your attention? He saves us even in our chaos and disobedience!
God knew He wasn’t done with Jonah - He wanted to make a full believer out of him. Which He consistently does for me and you. He loves us so much and like He did for Jonah, He freely gives us a second time around. We may never fully know the outcomes of what God gives us to do, but He knows. Through it all, He just asks that we LOVE, OBEY, and TRUST HIM. So, I’m going to take this second time around and make it count all for His glory!
I will be sharing what God gives me to share: true stories of hope and faith, light shine from others, life, devotions, and more! Please sit at the feet of Jesus with me, and let’s make a daily decision together…