Running Away from the Lord

I remember a few years ago objecting to another Christian's comment that we can "get in the way of God" by how we act or what we do. Some Christians use the phrase "blocking God's blessings" to describe it. I often ask, "How can we block God's blessings when we have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ?" according to Ephesians 1:3. Our sins can't get in the way of God because He remembers them no more according to Hebrews 10:17 and other places in the New Testament. And a world enslaved to sin did not prevent Jesus Christ from coming down from Heaven and performing His redemptive act of salvation. Now, I am not advocating that we go out and act like fools, but regardless of what we do, God can still use us to achieve His desired goals. In the book of Jonah, God instructed Jonah to go to Ninevah and preach. What was Jonah's initial reaction? "Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish (Jonah 1:3)." He ran away from the Lord! Talk about getting in God's way or blocking His blessings.

While Jonah was on the ship, still in rebellion against God's command, the Lord sent a storm to disrupt the ship as it sailed. Obviously, the men on board the ship, who were unbelievers, were in fear of their lives. The men eventually approached Jonah, after waking him up (obviously, he was not concerned much about fleeing God), and asked him to pray to God to save them and their vessel. Eventually, they were so fearful of their situation they threw Jonah into the sea and the storm ceased immediately. Understandably, out of thankfulness the men aboard the ship "offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him (Jonah 1:16)." Now, I don't know if any of these men became believers, but the disobedient actions of Jonah offered a unique opportunity for these men to have an encounter with the true God that many have never witnessed before or since this episode. And it was made possible because Jonah "got in the way of God" by disobeying him. How many Christians believe themselves to be blocking blessings in their lives because of something they have done or are doing? On the other hand, how many Christians believe they are deserving of blessings from God because of their perceived obedience? I believe if that is a Christians mindset they have it all wrong.

It is a standard formula to hear Christians, whether pastors or layman, offer up prayers designed to get God to bless us individually or collectively. Often times the focus for these prayers centers around some sin being committed that is believed to be preventing God from blessing us. How many years has the National Day of Prayer taken place where believers and unbelievers get together to ask God to forgive us and than request that He bless the nation and world? In a general sense there is nothing wrong in this and I don't believe God is upset by it. But, when those prayers go unanswered and the problems continue on as they always have been does anybody ever question if what they pray for is something God is desiring to honor? All throughout scripture we see believers suffering in one form or the other. In fact, Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble (John 16:33)." Yet, many Christians seem to act as though the trouble we experience is abnormal or the result of some disobedient or sinful act we have committed.

God is not going to usher in world peace or remove suffering in our lives if we just get out of His way and start acting right. God is interested in saving individuals in the midst of the pain and suffering going on in the world. I know God hates to see people suffer, especially the saints. However, we have a reason to be thankful for the suffering in this world. The trouble we have in this world gets us to focus on God because we realize that this world is not designed to give us the peace and comfort we all so desperately need. For a believer the suffering we experience makes us thankful for God, His forgiveness and the salvation we have received in Christ. The unbelievers will hopefully be brought to their knees by the never ending turmoil and call out to the Lord for salvation. When this happens "we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God (2 Corinthians 1:4)." Therefore, if you are "running" away from God like Jonah you aren't blocking a blessing or getting in the Lord's way. Instead, God uses us and our circumstances to remind us of how He comforted us so we can share with others what He has done for us. In this way "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)."