Subtle Jonahs
Many Christians are ruining their destiny and high calling, not because of some grand rebellion, but because of a subtle compromise.
The book of Jonah is one of the Minor Prophets in the Bible. It’s the story about the mighty prophet Jonah who was living out his destiny, prophesying about the prosperity of God’s people and the expansion of Israel’s borders (see 2 Kings 14:25). One day, the Lord called him to preach to the most powerful enemy of Israel in his time and the greatest city of the Assyrian empire: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me” (Jonah 1:2, ESV).
A prophet’s ministry involved preaching in various cities. God called Jonah to preach a message of repentance to Nineveh, a city that would eventually be involved in the destruction of Northern Israel due to an Assyrian onslaught. The last thing Jonah wanted was to spare Nineveh from God’s judgment and rescue Israel’s enemy. So, Jonah boarded a ship and headed in the opposite direction from God’s calling.
While on the boat, there was an immense storm. The sailors realized that Jonah’s disobedience had caused the storm, and reluctantly, they threw him overboard. A giant fish swallowed Jonah, where he lived inside the slime and slush of the fish’s belly. After three days and three nights, Jonah cried out to God. “And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land” (Jonah 2:10).
Once again, God called Jonah to go to Nineveh. “So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord” (Jonah 3:3).
Who Is a Subtle Jonah?
Rarely do we choose to be blatantly disobedient to God’s call or the destiny he’s put on our lives. Nobody wants to get into the kind of trouble where we find ourselves swallowed by a fish or living in bondage. Yet many of us are disobedient in a subtle way.
Many, including me, are what I call “subtle Jonahs.” I would never refuse God directly or angrily, but my rebellion is often subtle. Radical Jonahs will rise and rebel against God’s direction. Some will leave their homes and run off to a new city in direct rebellion against God. Yet few of us will purposely choose to go for complete opposition. Many of us are more coy and nuanced.
A subtle Jonah misses the mark just a little bit. It’s not horrible rebellion, but it’s not quite living up to what God has called you to live out fully. It could be a retired couple whom God has called to give their lives and financial resources to short-term missions. They ignore God and choose to relax and enjoy their lives on their fishing boat. Now, fishing is not sinful, but when you’re distracted from what God calls you to, that’s a quiet form of rebellion.
Jesus taught a parable about two sons who were asked to obey their father (see Matthew 21). One son said, “I will not obey.” Yet he changed his mind and did obey. The second son said, “Father, I will do what you want.” However, he disobeyed. He repeatedly said yes to his father but moved in a different direction.
Don’t we often take part in this same cycle? It’s not blatant rebellion. We aren’t the kind of people who would run, get on a boat, and flee to a different city. Instead, we remain as close as we can without obeying the exact command God has given us. Our disobedience may not mean the fall of a nation, but it nonetheless will have consequences and repercussions.
What is that thing that God has spoken to your heart? Do you pass by it and make excuses? Many of us wouldn’t dare say no to God. We say yes, but then we don’t follow through. When we live as subtle Jonahs, we think it’s not as dangerous as being a blatant, rebellious Jonah. We may not be thrown overboard, but our compromises bring results that we don’t want in our lives. We might not run from God, but we drift away from the fullness of his presence.
God has a design for each of us, a glorious plan beyond our wildest dreams. Yet it is the subtle things that take us away from the destiny God has for us. Many Christians are losing their high calling, not because of some grand rebellion, but because of a compromise that they are unwilling to give up.
The Impact of Subtle Compromises
In Song of Solomon 2:15, it says, “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.” Scripture says a little fox can ruin the vine. When will it ruin the vine? When our vineyards are in blossom. A little fox knows when the vineyard is at its fullest. When your destiny is about to be fulfilled or your calling is at its greatest point, that is the exact time when these little foxes come.
The context of this scripture is that the enemy doesn’t bother you when you’re distracted or moving opposite from where you belong. No, he distracts you when you’re about to reach the highest blossoming place of your life. This vineyard represents a life that’s in a state of growth in our relationships, our spiritual life, our personal character, and the call that God has on our lives.
Little foxes are subtle; they’re sneaky problems that seem small and harmless. An example could be an unspoken envy you feel toward someone. Maybe it’s unchecked gossip, lazy habits, or slight disobedience to God’s calling. The Bible tells us these things spoil the vines. The grapes are not as lush or plentiful. Something’s stealing from what our lives could have been. We wonder, Why am I downcast? Why am I not closer to Jesus?
Although our compromises may be small, their impact on our lives, our destiny, and those around us is enormous. If we are toying with compromise, God will not give us the fullness of the dream that he’s put in our hearts. When God speaks to us, he’s not only trying to get us to be obedient; he’s asking us to give up those things that hinder the fullness of life he wants us to live.
We must ask ourselves: What great calling are we missing because of our subtle compromises? My call from God is to lead a mission of pure religion worldwide. If I allow compromises to come in, it will diminish the work rather than advance it.
Becoming Radically Uncompromised
How do we live out God’s highest calling? First, we must regain sensitivity. We must fight against a seared conscience. Scripture speaks about losing sensitivity to the Spirit: “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed” (Ephesians 4:19, NIV). There’s a choice between being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to the sensuality of doing what we want with our lives. Sensuality is not just about sexual lust; it’s about our own desires and pleasures. In doing this, we lose our sensitivity to the things of the Holy Spirit.
Years ago, before my father died, he took my family to a PG-rated movie. About halfway through, my dad got up and walked out. I thought he might have gone to get popcorn, but he never returned. When the film ended,
I asked him, “Dad, why did you leave? We were laughing and having fun.” He said, “Because that one actor took the Lord’s name in vain.
I am not going to sit there and have my Savior abused like that.” I suddenly realized I didn’t hear those words because I had become so desensitized.
We are constantly bombarded by words through music, computers, and television so that we lose sensitivity to the Spirit and indulge in the world’s sensuality. Without realizing it, we can lose sensitivity to subtle compromises. I am grateful for my father’s living testimony in maintaining sensitivity to the Spirit.
All of us can think of something that is subtly causing us to compromise. God is speaking to us, saying, “My children, I love you, and I want the best for you. This concession is robbing you of your best.” Perhaps it’s robbing you of the best marriage, the best parenting, a good job, or more financial resources. Maybe it’s robbing you of a fruitful prayer life, a fuller study of Scripture, or a hunger for more of Jesus.
The Call to Full Obedience
In the 1800s, a young man lived in London and worked in a factory. He told the factory owner that he would not work on Sunday because it was the Sabbath. This was a time of great poverty in London with disease, people starving, and orphans living on the streets. Losing his job would be a great risk to his life and future. When he didn’t show up to work on Sunday, he was fired on Monday morning. Despite this financial loss, he remained strong. He began helping those who were hungry and in need on the streets. This young man was named William Booth. Eventually, he founded the Salvation Army. His simple obedience led him to have a significant impact on those in need around the world.
Just imagine if the heroes of the faith had subtle Jonah moments in their own lives. Noah could have said, “The ark doesn’t have to be that big.” Moses might’ve asked the Israelites at the Red Sea, “Who can swim? I’ll meet you on the other side.” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could’ve decided, “We can physically bow down because we won’t bend in our hearts.” These biblical heroes would have been forgotten if they had allowed themselves to be subtly compromised. They are now remembered and revered for their obedience. They refused to lessen their conviction for their missions. All these people could have missed their destiny by allowing a minor compromise in their lives.
Friend, don’t let the little foxes spoil the vine. Don’t live half-heartedly. No more games, no more compromise. The blood of Jesus is sufficient to cleanse us of all our unrighteousness, even the subtle forms of it. God loves you so much, and he has a wonderful plan for your life. He gave me an uncompromising passion to care for orphans and widows around the world. What’s that one daring dream that seems impossible to you? That’s the thing God wants to plan in your heart today! Amen. ▉
