How to recover when you pursued something that wasn't God's will

Is finding God's will a trivial pursuit or could it be as simple as day? Whatever your take is, there are some people who have lost their way in finding their purpose.

The concept of finding and pursuing God's will is a central message for all Christians. We work on the belief that God created everything and everyone to serve a specific purpose. Nothing is ever out of place and nothing is ever completely useless.

So what happens when we stray from God's will? Whether it's a career decision, a relocation or a relationship, we may all at some point feel that we have strayed from God's will.

One example we look at in the Bible is the character of Jonah, a man who deliberately ran away from God's will. God called the prophet Jonah to travel to Nineveh to deliver a message of redemption to the people there. As a result of an inward bitterness for the city, Jonah refused to obey God and went His own way.

Through a journey that would take him farther from God's will, God gave Jonah a stormy wake-up call that made him realize the error of his ways. God may have given you or is giving you now a stormy wake-up call. The first step is to turn back to God and submit to His will.

It's never too late to surrender

While some may think, "it's too late for me to turn back to God and I'm in way too deep," know that it's never too late for God. Acts 2:39 says, "For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." No matter how far away from God you think you are, you're never too far to come back to Him and surrender.

It's not yet over

After Jonah gets swallowed by a big fish, what He does is pray to God. This shows Jonah's faith that God isn't over with him. I can imagine what would run through my head if I were Jonah. I would have probably given up and considered it over. But God never gives up on us, and He pursues us non-stop until we turn back to His purposes.

God makes all things work for our good

Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." No matter what you've done and how far away you've drifted, know that God has already made contingencies for you. He makes everything- - both the good and the bad -- to work together for the greater good of all who put their trust in Him. God is in charge and He's in control.

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