Jonah tried to run away from God's calling, but God didn't allow Him to run away. Jonah 1:4 says, "Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up." God could have let Jonah in his rebellious state, but by God's grace, love, and mercy, God pursued Jonah in his rebellion. God sent a storm not to destroy Jonah but to restore him. God never gave up on Jonah. He had every right to let Jonah destroy himself in sin, but like a Father whose son was in rebellion, He would do anything to bring His son back to the right path. Jonah's situation was similar to the situation of the son in the parable of the lost son in the New Testament (Luke 15:11-32). The son left his father with all his inheritance and lived in rebellious and sinful life. However, a famine in the land occurred, and he lost all his money. The famine brought the son to his senses and returned to his father repentantly.
No matter what we do, we can never run away from God's calling. David says these words in Psalm 139:7-12, "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. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." God doesn't give up on us even when we rebel against Him because we are His children. He can never disown His children. Hebrews 12:6 says, "For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child."
God can use a storm to bring us back to Him. God loves us so much that He would do anything to bring us back to him. And when God thinks we will never repent from our rebellion and sin, he will take us home to be with him to save us from misery. This, of course, only applies to those who genuinely believe in the Lord Jesus, became God's children, and rebelled later in their spiritual walk. This does not apply to those who never believed in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, for they never are His children (John 1:12).
Ask yourself these questions for application: (Think through carefully and meditate on the questions while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you) What is God's desire when I rebel against Him? What does God do when I am in rebellion? Can I escape God's presence?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you for never giving up on me, even when I am in sin. You discipline me so I can return to the right relationship with you because you know I will never find peace and satisfaction in sin. Please continue to change my heart so that I may not rebel against you. Please do not let my heart be hardened with any sin, but I will always have a repentant heart before you. In your name Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.