Jonah 4

 Knowingly avoiding God’s direct message to surrender to Him leads to an empty void that can only be filled by a repentant heart. I’ve not followed through on what I said I’d do, and each time leads me to a loneliness. I want to be prompt in my response to His nudge, not waiting till a more convenient time. I have often prayed that I would know God’s will for my life, but missed opportunities to pray , to listen, or be generous. ‘Someday’ is not a day of the week. I want to be awake to what He is doing. 

“The Christian living in disobedience also lives devoid of joy and hope. But when he begins to understand that Christ has delivered him from the reign of sin, when he begins to see that he is united to Him who has all power and authority and that it is possible to walk in obedience, he begins to have hope, and as he hopes in Christ, he begins to have joy. In the strength of this joy, he begins to overcome the sins that have so easily entangle him. He then finds that the joy of a holy walk is infinitely more satisfying than the fleeting pleasures of sin. But to experience this joy, we must make some choices. We must choose to forsake sin, not only because it is defeating to us but because it grieves the heart of God.” - Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness