God desires obedience from His people. He wants us to follow His leading – His prompting. When we follow Him, God uses us in mighty ways.
This same God, however, is also able to use us when we blow it. God’s plan and agenda do not fail. We have a choice in joining Him, or running from Him – which will impact our consequences. But God’s plan and purpose will not be thwarted – even by our disobedience.
Take Jonah for example:
God spoke to Jonah. He gave Him a clear command. Jonah heard what God said, but didn’t like what God said, so “Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the LORD.” (Jonah 1:3a) Like a child throwing a tantrum, Jonah decides that he is not interested in God’s plan and comply. Instead, in an attempt to ignore God’s command, Jonah is “hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to Tarshish.” (v. 3b)
Did Jonah really believe that he could escape the LORD? Did he really think that his disobedience would be ignored? Obviously Jonah knew that God had a plan for him specifically – even though it was a plan he wasn’t particularly fond of.
And so, Jonah does what he believes is best – his way – not God’s way. He finds himself on a ship sailing in the opposite direction that God commanded. And it is there he falls asleep.
Running from God is exhausting, no doubt. But as a storm comes upon this particular ship, and the strength of it is causing huge concern amongst professional sailors – even to the point of them dumping their cargo overboard – still Jonah sleeps. How is that possible? Through the tossing of the waves, chaos, and commotion – Jonah sleeps. I cannot help but wonder if even though consequences now loom before Jonah, God is strengthening and preparing him to receive and experience them. “But all this time, Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold.” (v. 5b)
Finally, as the violence of the storm continues to increase, the captain awakens and confronts Jonah – who certainly is the only one who appears calm, and unaffected by this. It seems Jonah knew something like this would happen. As if he somewhat expected it.
“Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” The sailors were terrified when they heart this, for he had already told them he was running away from the LORD. “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned. And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.” (v. 9-12)
Now what? Jonah’s disobedience and the consequences that he deserved were now impacting the lives of others who had not been a part of Jonah’s decision. They were just showing up to work. Doing their job. And now, they were fighting to stay alive. Could this storm be caused by Jonah’s God? Could it have been brought on because, as Jonah said, he was running from Him? Could any God have that kind of power? And if He did, what on earth could possibly appease Him now?
“Then they cried out to the LORD, Jonah’s God.” (Notice this is not a God they claim as their own – or have likely ever spoken to before) “O LORD,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O LORD, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the LORD’s great power, and they offered Him a sacrifice and vowed to serve Him.” (v. 14-16)
You see, God had brought on the storm not just to get Jonah’s attention but to show Himself as the One True God to the men on board that ship. Make no mistake, they had their gods. People of that time all did. But their gods were nothing more than wood, stone, or metal. While they were worshiped, they were completely false and incapable of any action. The sailors had heard of the Hebrew God. They would have heard of the miracles and stories of what He had done throughout history. And yet, it wasn’t until they personally saw His hand that they actually believed in Him.
Jonah put these men’s lives in danger as bystanders for consequences that he alone deserved. But God, allowed even Jonah’s consequences to unfold into a transforming story for a group of sailors who happened to find themselves in the right place at the right time. Right where God wanted them to be.
Friend, sometimes there are consequences to the actions of those around us. They can have a ripple effect and impact us, even when we weren’t the cause for them. But God, in His absolute goodness and love, will use those times to unfold into something beautiful and transforming for us, too. He doesn’t waste a hurt.
Blessings!