Her Renewed Strength Podcast | Episode 66

Hey, sis!

Happy 4th of July! I am so excited to announce that today is DAY 1 of our study on the book of Jonah. It’s a 4-week study inside the Facebook group, where I host a private Bible study space for Christian women who struggle with anxiety.

In this episode, I am sharing one of the reflection questions I have planned for the group this month. The question is: Is Patriotism or your IDENTITY in the world an undercover idol in your heart? This question may confuse you, but I’ll uncover a few key ways to peel back some of the layers that serve as scales over your eyes and help you learn from Jonah’s struggles.

Take a listen and be blessed!

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:

• Understand the depth and breadth of God’s love for you so that no matter how many times you disobey Him, you will never be ashamed to run toward Him

• Discover incredible life lessons you can apply to your daily walk with God

• Examine the idols that prevent you from fully surrendering to God 

“… I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” – Jonah 4:2

Listen To The Episode

This episode is brought to you by Jhorsjoy Podcast Production and Management Services. Have you been dreaming of launching your own podcast, but you don’t know how and where to start? It’s too overwhelming. Trust me, I get it. Let Jhorsjoy Podcast Production and Management Services, help you effortlessly launch, syndicate, and grow your podcast. Message Jhorsjoy here.

Check out these episode highlights:

03.03 – A quick summary of Jonah

• Jonah is a book of prophecy – one of the minor prophets – and is set between 790-760 BC

• At this time, Assyria was struggling and hadn’t been a threat to Israel for at least a generation…they wouldn’t become a threat either for a generation to come (Cultural Backgrounds Bible by Zondervan)

• Jonah receives the prophetic mandate to go to Nineveh and prophesy against the Ninevites, a people who [based on their history w/ Israel] might try to harm him. But instead of following God’s lead, he tries to flee from the Lord.

• The Ninevites collectively turn from their evil ways and the Lord relents – choosing to show mercy and not bring about the destruction He’d promised. This angered Jonah (Jonah 4:1-3; Jonah 4:4, Jonah 4:3) The issue is that Jonah didn’t want God to be so merciful and compassionate and gracious toward Israel’s enemies.

05.49 – In his book, Counterfeit Gods, Timothy Keller, talks about the story of Jonah in detail and he points out the fact that Jonah has this intellectual understanding of God, but it’s not worked into his heart. So, his heart posture is exposed. 

06.43 – Sometimes, we identify so deeply with the things that we won’t take with us into eternity, like our nationality, careers, sexual/romantic preferences, conditions (mental health – anxiety, depression, etc.), relationship status, or even responsibilities (i.e. mom). That our commitment to those titles and labels begins to compete with our obedience to the Lord.

07.46 – Reflection Questions: 

1. What hidden idol is preventing you from stepping into a posture of humility and complete surrender to God? 

2. What are you holding onto that might be holding you back from fully stepping into completely trusting the Lord’s plans and purposes, even if and especially when the path He’s leading you down doesn’t make sense (or the path reveals that you’re holding onto something you need to let go of)?

.

Key Takeaways:

• God’s mercy and compassion are greater than all of our sins.

• God extends His grace to all kinds of people.

• You cannot hide or run away from God. Going against His will only leads to your failure.

Resource:

• The study on the book of Jonah begins TODAY! To join, click here.

Thank you so much for listening! If you love today’s episode, the best way you can show love and support is to leave a 5-star rating & a written review on the podcast. This helps other Christian women who want the same support and valuable content find the show.