Runners High...

(Okay, this post had nothing to do with my running friends..but i absolutely could NOT do a post on running and not have them in the post! Love these friends!)

So, the Jonah study is more than I could have ever imagined so far. Remember my complete reluctance to go? (see Girl-Interrupted post)

Never would I have imagined that Jonah and I had so much in common. I mean, he was swallowed by a whale, remember?

Ummm, yeah. No common ground that I could see.

Well, Jonah was thrown overboard of a boat that was heading away from where God was calling him to go.

He was running.

Now this I'm familiar with.

I have thousands of proverbial running shoes that I rotate when the opportunity arises:

I run from opportunities that deem too time-consuming or too emotionally draining.

I run from my husband when he wants to gently reprimand me for certain behaviors...like over-spending or over-protectiveness of my little nest.

I run from relationships that get too messy. A lot.

I run from my past instead of saddling up, dealing with it, and letting it ride off into the sunset...without me.

I run from my future by constantly living in the past and re-living scenarios that I could have done differently.

I run from the people that see through the mask that I so often wear.

I run to the people that tell me what I want to hear instead of what I need to hear.

Or, running from something I know God is telling me to do. But it's hard. Like forgiveness.

Or Grace.

Or reconciliation.

Or submission.

Or maybe change.  Stepping out of the boat and going to an uncomfortable place. I  mean, why? I was so cozy and content where I was. Why the change?

Or leadership. It's much easier being in the background. Way easier. Nobody notices me here. No accountability is much easier.

Or obedience to Him. Just because. Without having to have God tell me why. Just doing it.

Yes, Jonah and Me are similar. Very similar.

Running from Him is exhausting. And fruitless.

The author of the Bible Study, Priscilla Shirer, ended with this quote in last night's study:

"Running from God costs you so much more than you ever want to pay."

Ouch.

What are you running from?

Or running to?

What do you say we try throwing away our running shoes and go bare-foot in the soft, cool sand that God is inviting us to walk in.

To Him.

I'll take sand any day over asphalt.

unlacing my shoes,

jill