Encouragement for Your Week: September 14-20
This Week’s Verse
Then the Lord spoke to Jonah again and said, “Go to that big city Nineveh, and say what I tell you.” So Jonah obeyed the Lord and went to Nineveh.
- Jonah 3:1-3 ERV
Devotion
Have you ever disobeyed God and messed up so badly that you wondered if He could ever forgive you? Maybe you thought, “Even if God forgives me, there’s no way He could still use me.” That thought doesn’t come from God—it’s a lie from the enemy of your soul.
Jonah was a prophet who disobeyed God. You probably know his story. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, but Jonah ran the other way. He boarded a ship headed in the opposite direction. Because of his disobedience, God allowed a storm to rise up, and eventually Jonah was swallowed by a huge fish. For three days and nights, he sat in that dark, smelly belly before being spit out onto dry land. That’s when God spoke to him again, just like in this week’s verse. This time Jonah obeyed and went to Nineveh.
Here’s the point: Jonah’s disobedience didn’t cancel God’s calling on his life. Even though Jonah didn’t want to obey, God wasn’t finished with him. The same is true for us. We’ve all disobeyed God at some point. Maybe you’ve made some huge mistakes or even failed more than once. But your failures don’t erase God’s purpose for your life. He can still use you to serve Him in powerful ways.
Yes, disobedience has consequences. Sin always does. We need to repent and sometimes walk through the results of our bad choices. But on the other side of that is forgiveness, restoration, and a testimony that only you can share. God can use your story to point others to His grace and to bring hope to people who need Jesus.
Don’t let your past keep you from your future. God can still use you and your story for His glory.
This Week’s Challenge
Think about one area of your life where you’ve disobeyed God or are intentionally walking in the opposite direction. This week, ask God to give you the strength to turn around and move in the correct direction. Even if it’s one tiny step.