Is Your Comfort The Enemy Of Your Progress?

Jonah 1:1-3 - The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.   NASU

• Jonah Didn't Want To Go 

We know from 2 Kings 14 that Jonah lived in Gath-hepher, which means winepress. So by putting some pieces together about this village, they have fertile ground which would allow them to grow grapes, a place to bring the grapes to sell them and a place to press the grapes into wine. What we have here is an 8th century BC winery.
 
He knows the people of Gath-hepher and I would say he became comfortable with his lifestyle there. The problem for Jonah comes when God wants him to leave his comfortable surroundings and go to Nineveh.
 
God's Word doesn't always coincide with our Comfort Zone. 

• There's Always An Avenue 

Yes, there's always a way that will lead you away from God. In Jonah's case his avenue was the road that led from Gath-hepher to Joppa (at least 65 miles as a crow flies) and from there a ship ride to Tarshish.
 
So what road, lane, avenue or freeway is enticing you to start down and get further away from God? There is always an avenue that will take you in the wrong direction. I like to watch the FBI shows that are on TV and when they go to arrest someone and he takes off they always shout "we've got a runner".
 
Well, Jonah is a "runner". He is trying to run away from God.
 
Jonah went down to Joppa and then down into the hull of the ship. He would soon find out that it is impossible to run from God when there is something He wants you to accomplish for Him.
 
What is it that God wants you to accomplish? 

• God Sent The Storm 

Sometimes in our lives storms come from seemingly out of nowhere but in actuality they have come from the LORD as is the case with Jonah. He has entered the ship and is headed to Tarshish when a storm came upon them.
 
Jonah knows this storm has come because he is running from God.

He even tells them how to make the storm stop. He says to them pick me up and throw me overboard. The men don't want to do that because they are afraid that their god would hold them accountable for this man's blood.
 
They cared more for Jonah than Jonah did for them or the people in Nineveh.  

• What Is Your Comfortable Place? 

We all need to ask ourselves the question "Has our comfortable place kept us away from accomplishing God's Will in our lives?"
 
Jonah was a runner and he is soon going to find out you can't out run God. Don't be a runner as in a person who runs away from God. Be the type of runner that runs toward God.

You will most likely be amazed at what exciting adventure God has in store for you.
 
Many times you will have to leave your comfort zone.
 
Are you prepared to leave your comfort zone for an exciting adventure with God?
 
Think About These:
 
God is like oxygen. You can't see Him but you need Him to survive.
 
When God puts something on your heart that means it is on His heart also.
 
Faith isn't a feeling. It's a choice to trust God even when the road ahead seems uncertain.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

​Minister of God's Word