The Jonah Dilemma

  Hello friends!  I was thinking tonight about the Jonah dilemma.  And if you've never heard that phrase before, don't worry; I made it up.  Jonah was a prophet in the Old Testament in the Bible.  His job was to go around and tell people messages God gave him.  But one day, Jonah was given a message he didn't feel so good about delivering.  God asked Jonah to go to the people of Ninevah, a city outside the country of Israel which was reputed to have been quite unsavory, to say the least.  Jonah, being the obedient servant of God that he was, promptly got on the next boat going in the opposite direction of Ninevah.  After boarding the boat, he went down into the hull of the ship and lay down for a much needed nap.  After all, running from God and from your purpose is exhausting.  And this, is what I am referring to as "The Jonah Dilemma."
  You see, for most of us, the problem is not that we don't know what we should do, but that we don't want to.  Maybe it's uncomfortable or causes us to change something.  Whatever the reason, I believe most people, like Jonah, don't pursue their purpose not because they can't, but because they aren't willing to do anything they don't like doing.  It's much easier to make yourself busy with other things and put what you're really supposed to be doing on the backburner.  Going about being busy but not doing what you are called to do is like boarding a ship headed in the opposite direction of where you are wanting to go.  Not only is it foolish and disobedient, but running from God will wear you out, make you miserable, and cause you to loose your peace and joy.
  For Jonah, it took a literal storm, being thrown overboard, and then spending three days inside the stomach of a fish to get him to head in the right direction.  For you and me, I pray we are not that stubborn.  What is it that you know you need to be doing?  Do you need to start that exercise program, write that letter, make the call, or pick up that book?  Often times the things we need to do to move forward are not earth shattering things.  They are simple daily practices which are, according to The Slight Edge, "easy to do" and "easy not to do."  Do not let the Jonah dilemma become yours.  Make the choice to move in the right direction today, even if you don't feel like it.  Don't put off what you need to do another moment.  Your success is waiting on the other side of that one small step in the right direction.  Will you take it?  I hope so, friend.  I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.W.