Ladies, we are continuing our journey in a new Bible study Jonah, Navigating a Life Interrupted. Feel free to join us absolutely anytime either in person, in blog land, or just simply by checking in now and then. You don't have to be in attendance every week and can easily join in at anytime. We're learning to tell our stories, share our wisdom, listen to one another, and pray together all in an effort to sharpen, challenge, and inspire one another in strengthening our relationship with God.

I love the introduction to this study, "Welcome to Jonah. He knows how a life interrupted feels, and he's got a firsthand account of how yielding to God is the best decision after all. Join us, won't you? I think we'll have a 'whale' of a time."  Cracks me up!

You know the story of Jonah - the storm, the whale.....but did you know that Jonah was the only prophet to receive instruction from God and he ran from it? Do you know the history and the reason he didn't want to be obedient? Just very briefly, Jonah was a devoted countrymen with a deep-seeded allegiance to his people. The city of Nineveh was filled with evil, vile, ruthless, brutal people - enemies of the Israelites! Jonah didn't want to go to the Ninevites - he didn't want to help a people that were intent on hurting his people! So, he ran the opposite direction trying to get away from God's purpose for him.

We may also run from God's purpose for us - either literally running like Jonah or maybe "running" in our attitude. We may physically show up everyday to do our jobs, perform our duties, or take care of our responsibilities at home but we don't really want to be there and we just go through the motions with a "have-to attitude".

There's a big difference in having to do something or getting to do something - and it's evident in our attitudes. One conveys duty, obligation, drudgery; the other conveys the privilege of the task. With the "have-to" attititude, our perspective gets lost in our ingratitude and we victimize ourselves. With the "get-to" attitude, we see a privilege, a gift, an opportunity and maybe even beauty in it.

We can continue to approach our tasks with a disengaged attitude and an aloofness which shows those around us or for whom we work, that we'd rather be doing something else. And...this approach validates our bad attitude, emphasizing to ourselves that these people or tasks are not worthy of our time and are unimportant.

God's instructions may not be convenient or easy but can we learn to respond with joy instead of duty? Can we look at His plan as the honor of partnering with Him in His purpose? Can we consider His interruption as a privilege and thereby have a significant life because of our obedience?

As I ask myself these questions, I realize a lot of the time I have the "have-to" attitude - I have a long way to go to have a "get-to" attitude. I wonder if I can really be engaged and interested and grateful for whatever God has given me THIS day. So.....I'm looking forward to practical wisdom from God's Word in this bible study to equip me for the "get-to" attitude!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."