Hey… You are Running the Wrong Direction | Pastor Daniel Groves

Devotional

Day 1: Created on purpose for a purpose.

You are not an accident. Your life has divine intention and meaning, crafted by the very hand of God. He has designed you with specific good works in mind, assignments that were prepared for you long ago. This purpose is not about earning salvation, which is a gift of grace, but about walking in the good things God has already set up for you. To step into this is to step into the fullness of who you were built to be. [02:38]

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel a sense of divine purpose or calling? What would it look like to actively "walk in" that purpose through one small, practical step this week?

Day 2: The tension between hearing and obeying.

Hearing God's voice is a profound gift, but the real challenge often begins after the hearing. There can be a gap between what we know we should do and our willingness to actually do it. This tension is a deeply human experience, where our desires, fears, or comforts compete with God's clear direction. Obedience in these moments is what truly stretches and builds our faith, moving us from passive listeners to active followers. [09:23]

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:22, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you recently sensed a clear nudge from God that you have hesitated to act upon? What is one reason for that hesitation, and what would it look like to take a step of obedience in spite of it?

Day 3: You can run from God, but not away from Him.

Attempting to avoid God's direction creates distance in our relationship with Him, not from His presence. God is omnipresent; there is no place we can go that is beyond His reach or care. Running from His instructions leads to a lack of peace, not because He has left us, but because we have stepped away from the pathway of His will. True peace is found not in the absence of storms, but in surrendering to His presence within them. [20:51]

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! (Psalm 139:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a situation in your life where you have been trying to manage things on your own, effectively creating distance from God? What would it look like to stop running and intentionally acknowledge His presence with you right there?

Day 4: God interrupts to redirect.

The disruptions and uncomfortable seasons we face are not always random attacks. Sometimes, they are divine interventions designed to get our attention and correct our course. God can use anything—a closed door, a difficult conversation, or even a storm—to lovingly interrupt a path that leads away from His purpose. These moments are not meant to crush us, but to awaken us and guide us back to the assignment He has for us. [24:06]

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28, ESV)

Reflection: Can you identify a recent disappointment or challenge that, in hindsight, might have been God redirecting you? How does seeing that situation as a potential redirection change your perspective on it?

Day 5: Your obedience can be someone else's miracle.

Your willingness to say "yes" to God has implications far beyond your own life. What feels like a personal step of obedience can set in motion a chain of events that brings hope, healing, and redemption to others. God often uses one person's surrendered yes to change a family, impact a community, or even spark a revival. Your purpose is connected to a much larger story that God is writing. [31:11]

And the LORD said to Jonah, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. (Jonah 3:2-3a, ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person or group of people that God might be asking you to reach or bless through your obedience? What is one tangible way you can say "yes" to that call this week?

Sermon Summary

Ephesians 2:10 anchors a call to purposeful living: every person exists as God’s workmanship, created in Christ for good works that God prepared in advance. That truth collides with common human resistance when divine directions lead toward discomfort, cost, or disfavored people. The story of Jonah becomes the vivid example: commanded to go to Nineveh, Jonah instead boards a ship to Tarshish, flees the call, and tries to ghost God. A violent storm interrupts the escape, sailors confront Jonah, and the reluctant prophet ends up thrown into the sea. God appoints a huge fish to keep Jonah alive; three days in the fish lead to a raw prayer, surrender, and a renewed commission.

The text reframes storms as divine interruptions meant to redirect rather than merely punish. Delayed obedience appears as a spiritual hazard: avoiding God’s assignment produces distance from God’s presence and blocks real peace. Jonah’s initial defiance flows not from cowardice but from a hard-hearted desire for justice that rejected mercy for enemies. God’s persistence and providence, however, overturn expectations: the fish becomes provision and protection, the second call becomes the path to revival, and Nineveh responds with citywide repentance. One reluctant “yes” becomes an epic demonstration of God’s mercy and the transformative power of obedience.

The practical application underscores two tensions: obedience often feels costly, and feelings cannot determine divine purpose. Deliberate procrastination functions as thinly veiled disobedience; true peace comes when people stop negotiating with God and start walking toward the assignment. The narrative expands beyond Jonah: ordinary believers receive the same opportunity to say “yes,” to stop living in an “almost” posture, and to let one act of obedience reshape family lines, neighborhoods, and cities. The summons lands both as comfort—God offers second chances—and as an urgent demand: move toward the people and places God calls, even when discomfort, cost, or personal preferences pull the other way.

Key Takeaways

1. Obedience often costs more Obedience requires moving beyond merely hearing God and into costly action. The hard work lies in choosing to follow when discomfort, social cost, or personal preference push back. Growing faith forms not in perfect moments but in moments of costly surrender that refine motives and align life with God’s prepared works.
- Running from God blocks peace
Fleeing the call creates distance, not safety; avoidance cripples clarity and spiritual presence. True peace arrives when avoidance stops and repentance turns feet toward the assignment. The more a person postpones obedience, the more blessings get obstructed by self-protective detours.
- God redirects through interruption
Divine redirection often comes as interruption—a storm, a closed door, a surprising conversation—to reroute life toward purpose. Those interruptions expose idols, unmask excuses, and force honest dependency. Embracing the interruption opens paths to protection and renewed calling rather than mere punishment.
- One 'yes' can change cities
A single surrender can catalyze revival, shift family trajectories, and alter a community’s destiny. Small, obedient acts carry exponential spiritual consequences when God uses them to reveal mercy to the undeserved. Saying yes removes the contingency that keeps hope from reaching the next person. [09:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:33] - Celebrating recent decisions
[01:38] - Ephesians 2:10: built for good works
[03:05] - Theme: You're running the wrong direction
[09:59] - Jonah receives the commission
[13:05] - Storm, fish, and Jonah's prayer
[22:36] - God interrupts to redirect purpose
[27:12] - Second chance and Nineveh's repentance
[31:38] - Call to say "yes" and stop "almost"
[36:23] - Invitation: salvation and rededication

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Jonah 1:1–3 (ESV)
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.

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Observation questions

According to Ephesians 2:10, what were we created in Christ Jesus to do?
What specific instruction did God give Jonah in Jonah 1:2, and how did Jonah initially respond?
In the sermon, what was identified as the real reason Jonah ran from God’s command? [17:28]
What does the phrase “the Lord provided a huge fish” (Jonah 1:17) reveal about God’s character even in Jonah’s disobedience?

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Interpretation questions

Why is it significant that Ephesians 2:10 says God prepared good works for us “beforehand”? How might this shape our understanding of purpose and calling?
Jonah tried to flee “from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). What does this suggest about the spiritual consequence of avoiding God’s clear direction?
The storm in Jonah’s story was sent by God. How can interruptions or difficult circumstances sometimes function as divine redirection rather than punishment? [22:36]
Jonah eventually prayed from inside the fish and God gave him a second chance (Jonah 3:1). What does this reveal about God’s persistence and willingness to renew our purpose?

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Application questions

What is one area where you’ve been delaying obedience or negotiating with God because the assignment feels uncomfortable or costly? [08:20]
Running from God creates distance, not peace. In what ways have you experienced a lack of peace or clarity when avoiding what you know God has asked you to do? [18:37]
God often uses interruptions—a closed door, a difficult conversation, or a season of waiting—to redirect us. Can you recall a time when what felt like an obstacle turned out to be God’s protection or redirection?
Jonah’s reluctant “yes” led to the repentance of an entire city. Who is one person or group of people in your life that you’ve been hesitant to show mercy or share hope with? What would it look like to say “yes” to God in that area? [29:01]
Delayed obedience is really disobedience with better intentions. Where in your life have you been using procrastination as a form of avoidance? What is one practical step you can take this week to move toward obedience? [20:33]
Some of us live in an “almost” mindset—almost obedient, almost surrendered, almost generous. What would it look like to fully step into what God is asking of you instead of staying on the edge? [34:27]
God’s purpose is bigger than our feelings. When have you allowed your emotions—fear, pride, or a desire for control—to keep you from following God’s direction? How can you surrender those feelings to Him today?

Sermon Clips

Your yes could help us change an entire city. Here's what I believe. If a reluctant prophet saying yes could transform Nineveh, imagine what could happen if a church full of believers unified together and said yes to the call of God on their lives. Would you stand to your feet? That's great news, y'all. God's providence doesn't just fix our detours. He actually architects them. [00:31:38] (23 seconds) #ChurchSaysYes

Jonah didn't just hesitate. Y'all, he ran. Like, ran ran. Instead that he he he he decided to flee from the Lord. The hardest part of following God I'm a put this on the screen. You can take a picture of this. The hardest part of following God isn't always hearing his voice. It's obeying when we do. That that's that's the humanity piece. Okay, God. I heard you. At the night of worship, I knew you told me, Lord. And then obeying and following through on it is the hardest part. [00:09:01] (32 seconds) #ObedienceIsHard

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Hey… You are Running the Wrong Direction | Pastor Daniel Groves | Hope City