It is never wise for people to try and run away from God, and people who foolishly insist on doing so will only end up for the worse, according to Victoria Osteen.
The wife of popular American preacher Joel Osteen shared on a blog the importance of an honest heart. Victoria cited the story of Jonah and the whale from the Bible as an example. When God asked Jonah to do something he did not want to do, he ran away.
In doing so, he ended up inside the belly of a huge fish, and it was only then that Jonah realised his mistake. In a fit of remorse, he prayed to God and finally surrendered.
"Jonah began to cry out to God in honesty and humility. See, Jonah knew that he could have died. He knew God was merciful and spared him even though Jonah disobeyed God," said Victoria.
As soon as he admitted his mistake and repented, God commanded the fish to spit him out. From that desperate moment inside the fish's belly, God redeemed Jonah and transported him back to life.
The point of the moral of the lesson? Sometimes people hide from God, even though people know that it is wrong.
"We know what we are supposed to do and we don't want to do it, so we do the exact opposite anyway. And, it never goes well for us when we do that," she said.
Proverbs 11:3 teaches people that a good person is led by the honesty of the heart. When people practice honesty on God, their lives get turned around in an instant, she said.
"The thing is, God has already seen every twist and turn of your life. He already knows what's in your heart. He already knows the decisions you've made. He's just waiting for you to call on Him and be honest with Him like Jonah was," she said.
