Hide And Seek – When You’d Rather Run And Hide Than Obey

“What is she doing?!” I thought, stomping on the brake.

By any driving standard, she appeared to be avoiding bright orange cones on an obstacle course.  In a last-ditch effort to turn left rather than right, she darted across three lanes of traffic. Distance between her car and mine became top priority!

As I approached the red light, I couldn’t help but notice two kids and a mound of stuff piled into her out of state SUV. What I perceived as a drunk or distracted driver turned out to be a lost woman looking for a gas station.

Unlike this woman, Jonah knew exactly where he needed to go but chose to drive the opposite direction. Fueled by his hatred and driven by expectations, the distance between him and his calling became the only priority on his list. Jonah piled his mound of preferences into the boat and darted across the sea.

But have you ever wondered why God sent Jonah? Why would He send Jonah (dove), son of Amittai (truth) when he wanted nothing to do with truth descending on this large city?

Oftentimes, God sends us on assignments to peel back the layers of our calloused heart.

For Jonah, that meant God was sending him to the heart of a wicked Assyrian empire while calling out the wickedness in Jonah’s own heart – pride and hatred.

Idols Of Preference

God’s deep desire was to lead the Ninevites with cords of love and kindness. To lift the yoke of sin from their neck and bend down to feed them with His nourishment (Hosea 11:4).

And that’s why Jonah chose to run to Tarshish. Not because he was afraid but because he knew that God was compassionate and gracious, abounding in love (Jonah 4:2). Jonah understood that if God was sending him, He was redeeming them. Preferring God’s fierce anger over compassion, he wanted this great enemy of Israelite finished off – once and for all. His deep preference for judgment became a worthless idol he clung to.

Elevating his preferences above God’s desire, Jonah allowed the view of his assignment to taint the higher perspective.

And if we’re honest, most of us can pinpoint a time when we’ve run from the task God called us to, preferring to sit on the sidelines where fear, rejection, motives, and desires remain unchecked. We fall victim to expectancy, blinded by our comfort zone, status quo, ambitions or goals. But in doing so, we forfeit – give up, surrender, sacrifice – the grace, favor, and generosity that could be ours (Jonah 2:8).

Storms of Interception

I suppose Jonah had a short memory blip when he climbed into the boat with his fleeting heart. As a Prophet, he’d read David’s Psalm 139:7-10 many times, “Where can I flee from your presence?” Or, what about Jeremiah 23:23-24 declaring there are no secret places that He cannot see. Jonah couldn’t hide in the middle of the sea under a boat deck, and we can’t hide under the deck of our hearts.

God knows all. He sees everything. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m glad. I’m glad God seeks us out in our hiding.

And so, God sent a violent storm and allowed it to rage on until Jonah came out of his “hide and seek” spot (Jonah 1:4).

This storm set the platform for God to intercept Jonah and encounter the sailors. It intercepted Jonah’s deep slumbering mission and encountered the sailors’ dormant souls.

Sometimes, God sends a storm to change our direction, but we snooze through the winds shouting for us to “WAKE UP!” and waves attempting to crash our plans.

But the more we run, the more lost we become and the louder the storm rages (Jonah 1:11). Will we obey and receive the blessing or disobey and live with regret?

Unfortunately, storms are not limited to times of disobedience. If you’re currently treading deep waters, rest assured, whether or not disobedience causes your storm, He is with you in the midst of it (Isaiah 43:2).

Swallowed By Consequences

Disobedience rarely affects us alone and blinds us to the possibility of consequence. Running from God is like a hole in a ship. Though it may start slow, it’s only a matter of time before you sink. Ultimately, the rebellion of man is the rejection of God. Ravi Zacharias said, “Sin (aka disobedience) will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. 

– AFFECTS OTHERS – Jonah’s decision to run placed the sailors in harm’s way, with a ripple effect extending to their family and future generations. Not only was their boat being ripped apart, but they threw their cargo into the sea to lighten the load (Jonah 1:5). His storm became theirs.

– STEALS YOUR TIME – For Jonah, he lost at least three days in the belly of a fish (Jonah 1:17). Grumbling Israelites lost 40 years in the desert (Numbers 32:13). And, David suffered a lifetime with his son (2 Samuel 12:14). Don’t spin your wills trying to fix it yourself, cry out to God.

– LOST OPPORTUNITY – Countless stories of missed opportunities pen the pages of Scripture, but the one of Moses and Aaron stand heads above the rest. After facing Pharoh, parting the Red Sea, and marching across the desert, they missed the blessing of entering the Promised Land as a result of disobedience (Numbers 20:12). One of life’s greatest regrets is missing a life-changing opportunity because it was covered by the wrong one.

Every day we are faced with the junction of following or running the other way. Whatever assignment God is leading you to, He will guide you through. Like Jonah, it might smell a little fishy, and you can refuse the job, but it won’t change your calling.

Join me next week as we discuss God’s redeeming work when we return to the right course – His course.

Press In

1. Has God given you a divine assignment that makes you cringe with disgust or shrivel up in fear?
2. Are you headed to Tarshish right now – the opposite way of God’s leading?
3. Do you find yourself distracted by expectations or preferences? If so, is there an underlying heart issue?
4. Is there a time you tried to “hide” from God? In reading Psalm 139:7-10 and Jeremiah 23:23-24, is that even possible?
5. Are you currently facing a storm? Commit Isaiah 43:2 to memory.
6. Have you experienced swallowing consequences? Looking back, could your surrender have lessened them?