One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it.

"One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it." -Oogway (Kung Fu Panda)

When we left off last time, Jonah was on his way to Tarshish because he didn't want to preach/evangelize to the Ninevites. Bad storm comes, the sailors pray, then toss cargo overboard and nothing is working. The captain gets Jonah and tells him to pray or help and not just nap.

And now, verse 7... The sailors decide that someone must have made his god mad and figure let's cast lots to decide who and the lot falls to Jonah. So they start grilling him about who he is and what he's done to have caused all of this to happen.

Now before Jonah responds, why was he on the boat? So he didn't have to preach/evangelize... But now the sailors are asking what's going on and his response is, "'I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.'" (Jonah 1:9 NASB)

God wanted Jonah to preach and evangelize to pagans. Just as Master Oogway says... In his attempt to run from that calling, Jonah ends up doing exactly that. Sure, the pagans are sailors, not Ninevites-but the story isn't over.

God has a plan for each of us. Our lives will be more enjoyable if we follow God and do it the way He wants rather than if we try fighting it or go kicking and screaming.

Have you ever experienced this-end up doing the exact thing you were trying to avoid?