Counting The Cost

Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?”

Jonah 1:10

Our fight-or-flight instinct can save us from all manner of dangers. But when it comes to God’s difficult calling, how do we check that voice that says, “Run away!”?

God sent Jonah to Nineveh to “preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me” (v. 2). A tough and unpleasant calling. But Jonah so disliked the people there that he “ran away from the LORD” (v. 3). Jonah went to Joppa and bought a ticket for a voyage in the completely opposite direction!

It’s easy to judge Jonah for such blatant rebellion, but the truth is we often do the same thing. If you want to flee from God’s purposes, you will always find help. The Devil will always—metaphorically speaking—make sure that a ship is in port to take you as far outside the will of God as possible. But the price of the fare for that getaway is always far heavier than the price of obedience. Comparatively, Jesus’ yoke is always easier and His burden is always lighter (Matthew 11:30). Make the hard choice—the right choice—and choose what’s better in the long run.

God, I wholeheartedly embrace what You’ve called me to do. I run hard after You and all that You have for my life.