Trusting God's Plan

[The Midweek Encounter is a ministry of Encounter Church in Kentwood, MI. These posts are reflections on Sunday's message, which can be heard here each week: http://myencounterchurch.org/#/messages-media]

At some point, we've all hesitated outside of a door that we did not want to enter. Whatever lay behind that door was terrifying: your first college class, a job interview, your new in-laws. Last week, I struggled outside the door of my workplace, the key missing the lock as a tremor went through my hands. This summer I had finally acquired a job in the field of psychology, my area of study and a passion dear to my heart. I had been warned in my interviews that my position in a residential treatment facility would be physically and emotionally taxing, and was I prepared for that? I thought I had been until the one night shift where everything went wrong. I had walked out of work two hours late that night, bruised and shaken. And now, I had to enter through that door again. I couldn't help but wonder if this is what God truly wanted for me.

Photo credit to Peter Hershey.

Jonah's situation surpasses all the hard jobs and new in-laws of the world. In Jonah 1, God commands the prophet to go to the city of Ninevah, the capital of the Assyrian empire. The Assyrian empire was renowned for its brutality, oppressing the people through force, intimidation, and public torture. One can hardly blame Jonah for hopping on a boat and sailing in the complete opposite direction. He could not fathom why God would want him to save these horrible people, possibly at the expense of Jonah's own life.

Sometimes, God asks us to do something so far beyond the realm of what we could ever imagine Him asking. It might coincide with our own desires or it might veer from them completely. God's planning defies all human logic: He might ask us to take risks that seem unnecessary, to sacrifice a little more than we are comfortable with, or to walk alone into a city of hate and speak love. It is not surprising that we often flee from the course that God fixes in our hearts; following God requires trusting in the intangible and accepting the incomprehensible. Even for Jonah, a devout prophet of God, such a tremendous amount of trust was simply too much.

As Jonah quickly discovers, one cannot run from God’s purpose. To quote Psalm 139:

"Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast."

Photo credit to Julian Svoboda.

Sometimes when we doubt God’s plans, He provides us with little reminders that He is a mighty and capable God. This is not to frighten us into obedience, but is meant to reassure us that God knows exactly what He is doing and that He is able to provide for us in the most extreme or unlikely circumstances. Sometimes these reminders can be subtle and small, like a whisper in the darkness. Or sometimes you are thrown overboard into a stormy sea and are swallowed by a giant fish. Maybe some people need more of a wake-up call than others.

Jonah remained in the belly of the fish for entire three days, which probably gave him plenty of time to contemplate his situation. In Jonah 2, Jonah prays a passionate prayer, proclaiming strengthened trust in God’s power:

"To the roots of the mountains I sank down;

the earth beneath barred me in forever.

But you, Lord my God,

brought my life up from the pit."

Jonah goes on to say that he will obey God’s instructions to go preach in Ninevah, stating that “...I, with grateful praise, will sacrifice to you.” (Jonah 2:9).The fish vomits Jonah onto the beach, and without hesitation, he walks straight inland towards Ninevah.

In the end, God’s plans are fulfilled and the people of Ninevah repent for their wrongdoings. Although Jonah did not anticipate nor understand this outcome, Jonah eventually accepted that he was merely an instrument to carry out God’s divine design:

"I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity."(Jonah 4:2).

We can’t fathom all of the possible outcomes, all of the complex intricacies that God can see plain as day and has carefully constructed. Maybe you are unsure of your current job, too; perhaps you are on the fence about a new one. Maybe you don’t know what to study in college, or where to go to college, or if you even should go to college at all. Maybe you feel compelled to reach out to someone who is suffering, but doubt that they will listen to you.

As Christians we often end up suspended in a strange limbo where we feel God pushing us in a certain direction, but we are frozen. Maybe we are uncertain if the voice we hear is God’s. Or perhaps, we are terrified because we know the voice belongs to God and He is telling us to open a door that we would rather not enter.

I don't know if my job at a psychiatric unit is where I'm meant to be, but am doing my best to trust that God will put me right where He wants me. I'm still waiting for that subtle hint, that whisper in the dark, or perhaps, for a big fish to come along.

[Abby Hocking is a senior at Calvin College, where she studies psychology and writing. She is employed at Pine Rest Christian Mental Services and plans to become a therapist. Abby is a proud literature nerd, running addict, and puppy enthusiast. She thanks God daily for her wonderful family, her loving friends, and for Twenty One Pilots.]