Desires

Sometimes God doesn’t always give you what you pray for because it’s of harm to you.

Let’s take Jonah as our example here.

Nineveh was a neighbouring country of Israel. People there were considered really evil and they didn’t follow the laws of God.

They were cruel, greedy and always fighting with other people. God was unpleased with it and called on to Jonah and basically said there’s a placed called Nineveh not too far from here and the people living there are evil. Their King is lazy and selfish and doesn’t care. I’ve decided to destroy them.

Jonah is in agreement. God says he’s gonna destroy Nineveh in 40 days. He asks Jonah to go over there and speak to them about Him, His love and to change their ways.

Jonah gets shook and tells God his concerns about them and how evil they are. God reassures Jonah and says He has complete faith in Him. Jonah’s still hesitant and asks God what the point in risking his life is if He’s gonna destroy the land in 40 days.

The conversation goes on, Jonah still afraid to go. And he goes the opposite way of Nineveh instead. We know the story. (Not everyone does though, so click here if you don’t)

A few points.

YOUR THING ISN’T ALWAYS THE KING’S THING

Jonah wanted Tarshish and not the calling.

Sometimes we want Tarshish and forsake Nineveh, which is our calling. You know what your Tarshish is. You also know where your Nineveh is.

Let us be your Nineveh. The place where God puts you. Us being the people benefitting from the gift and calling God has deposited inside you. That thing you do that encourage people to go and stir up the gift of God in them, that hobby of yours you do that blesses others and brings them closer to God. What happens if you stopped? Have in mind that people fulfil their calling because you’re fulfilling yours.

COMPLAINING LEADS TO DETAINING

Complaining will lead to exactly what it is. Jonah complained and dreaded going to Nineveh. That’s exactly where it lead him. He went the opposite direction, but because the will of God always prevails and complaining also leads to exactly what it is, he didn’t help himself and only took a detour to his final destination. God sometimes has ways of landing us in His will even when we choose Tarshish; even when we think we’re going the opposite way to avoid what we’re dreading, but really we’re just taking a massive detour.

IT STARTS WITH OUR HEARTS

God’s trying to get to Jonah’s heart. We say and sing things but sometimes we don’t believe it.

We say, “For God I’m sold out!” But we don’t actually follow through when our love for Him is put to the test sometimes.

It’s not about the vine you’re sitting under, neither is it about sitting in the sideline and missing the miracle, it’s about the people who need to hear the message. The Nineveh. It’s about the talents and gifts in you God needs to use to turn His people to Him. The Nineveh. It’s about you being the vessel for those yet to inherit The Kingdom. The Nineveh.