psst – See the bottom of today’s post for this week’s #SheSharesTruth assignment!
Happy Monday, friends!
And congratulations on reading through another Old Testament gem – the book of Jonah!
So, tell us, what did you think of ole Jonah? Did his story capture your heart (and attention!) the way it did ours?
We’d love to hear what stood out to you most and what truth you’ll carry with you as we move forward. Feel free to share in the comments!
Speaking of moving forward…
We’re halfway through our 4-part Lent series!
After a 2-day breather, we’ll start Part 3: Meditation + Confession on Wednesday, April 2. This section will be a little out of the ordinary in its structure, and we pray it will give your mind, heart and soul a good, quiet truth-soak in preparation of Holy Week.
On that note, we’re going to hush now and give you some time to catch up on Jonah, spend a few extra moments in prayer, or maybe even flip the pages of your real or virtual Bible open and see where it lands.
We pray God meets you right where you are today and that you will know – deep down in your bones, in a way you just can’t shake – how very deeply, fully and relentlessly you are loved by the One who made you and calls you His own.
See you here tomorrow for an off-day treat — a special guest!
xo,
Amanda + Raechel
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P.S. Have you checked our Kickstarter campaign lately? We’re only $11,500 away from our Android goal!! 870 of you have donated to make this community’s dream a reality, and that. is. amazing. What a gift! And do you know what really blows our minds? That incredible number is still less than 1.5% of number of individual women who gather here each month. So keep rallying, Sisters! The Android app (and the virtual conference!) are absolutely within reach! *high fives*
P.P.S. Almost forgot to share the #SheSharesTruth assignment for this week!
This week, we invite you to study and share Joshua 1:8-9. As you read, pray and write, keep in mind the theme of meditation and confession that we’ll begin exploring this Wednesday. We can’t wait to hear what the Lord teaches you about these two tiny, truth-packed verses!
To read more about the idea and heart behind #SheSharesTruth, go here. To see a list of community share from last week, go here. We hope you’ll join us as we study and share as a community on the passage of Joshua 1:8-9 this Friday!
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45 thoughts on "what’s next: meditation + confession"
the entire book of Jonah, this is (so far) the best story I've read about , repentance, fasting, how to act accordingly during the lenten season or how to really confess… I have admitted to myself the bittersweet truth that I have "jonah moments" , ran away from God's calling, because I've misunderstood His ways…I think I know better than Him…but in fact I am completely wrong…I've questioned his judgments…but in the end I realized how BIG his love for everybody…I've messed up big time, but as I read through Jonah…God is waiting…patiently waiting with His arms wide open…
thank you SRT for helping me in understanding God's way…
always excited for the reading plan
Love this!!!! Assignment Done can't wait until Wednesday!
God is so dang amazing! I finished a 31 day plan I’ve been trying to finish for months today. I come on here right after to see where you are in the plan, only to find a new one coming up! Meditati
I've never read Jonah before. Thanks you for allowing me the opportunity to see how "childish" we can be. Looking forward to the new study.
Started a blog today. Yea! Link below.
http://adventuresofaprodigalgirl.blogspot.com/?m=1
The study of Jonah brought more conviction and understanding to me this time around. So thankful to be apart of the SheReadsTruth community!
http://refiningthewildgrapes.blogspot.com/
I loved the study on 3/20- God specifically chose Jonah. Even after Jonah chose to run away, God still wanted him and had a purpose that was to be fulfilled by him. It was a great reminder that God wants me for my particular life and circumstances.
Today, I felt super unsettled like I had to wrestle with God. Super discontent, super flighty, and at some points, super sulky-angry! How perfectly timed was yesterday's verse for me– "Do you have a right to be angry?" No, Lord. Never.
Can I let you guys in on something? It's whiny, but I need to confess it. Lately, I've been struggling with wanting to live a life full of fun and blessing outside of God's will for me, as if it's not there inside His will. It's been a long season of trial/tribulation, and satan has been lying to me. he's been telling me that 'this' is the life that follows God (said in a derogatory manner); that it'll always be super mundane and disappointing, that I'll never have friends, that my future is bleak, that I shouldn't be excited and it's wrong to enjoy life, etc. I've become a hermit in my search for "God's path" before, and I don't want to do that again…so it's always on the back of my mind, pushing me away from God.
From the beginning of 2014, my bible verse has been Luke 1:68-69, 74-75, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David… to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days." I've been trying to grasp what it is to both live in righteousness (not pursuing myself and sin) while still not being afraid of condemnation (not getting afraid of sinning so that I live in fear). I realize it, know it, and then it falls away again. But through this study of Jonah, the LORD has shown me that He is capable of using and pursuing me no matter how well I do at living in righteousness. Though it feels like a tightrope, it doesn't have to. Living in righteousness is not difficult, as long as it's HIS righteousness I'm living in. HE USES US BECAUSE HE HAS DECIDED TO USE US, and ultimately, nothing we do– good or bad– can stop Him from doing that.
Sisters, I need prayer. This tribulation is hard to live with, and though some of it is just the natural consequences of my actions (which I'm okay with dealing with), satan is definitely trying to use it to put me into bondage and run me into the ground. Some days, it's hard to live my life at all because I'm reeling about it so much. Pray that the Lord would discern in me satan's lies and get my attention away from myself! It's whiny and no good at all!! Again, forgive me for always being negative in these comments, as I think I am. God is good despite all of this, and I just need to get the guts out of my eyes to see that. Praise you, God. Be blessed, sisters.
Praying for you. Praying for peace, and acceptance. Several months back one of the SRT focuses was on being still. Just sit, pray and be still, let the Lord do His work. I'm praying that you can be still, pray, and listen to what the Lord is telling you. As for satan, there is NO power over you from him. You are a child of God.
Praying for you.
Praying for you today. That you will not believe the lie. For there is no more rewarding, exciting, enjoyable, exhilarating life than one with God at the center. Yes there will be hard times, painful times, frustrating times. But with God at the heart nothing can overcome you. Praying for you to know Gods amazing love cover you today x
My favorite verse from the Jonah series:
I was as far down as a body can go {at my lowest point}, and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever {chains weighing me down that I cannot escape} – yet you pulled me up from the grave alive O God, my God. Jonah 2:6 {with personal add-ins}
Like many of the others who have participated in this study, I have never thought much more about the book of Jonah other than "You can't hide from God" But in these past several days, I have learned so many more truths packed in those 4 chapters. I have never thought about the parallels of the 3 days of Jonah in the whale's belly and the 3 days Christ was in the tomb, or how the sailers unknowingly took on the sins of Jonah and then Johan sacrificed himself to save them from the storm. So many truths packed in so few pages. It makes me wonder, how many truths I have missed along the way from my other readings of His Word. What a great study this has been, and I look forward to more.
I'll never look at Jonah the same again! I may even start jumping into Children's Sunday School classes and yelling "Wait this book is about so much more than Jonah and a giant fish!!" Lol The book is about redemption, love, hate, entitlement, misplaced anger, pride, forgiveness, and it's about me! I saw so much of myself in this book that it scared me. How many times have I worn my salvation as a superhero's cape and not used it as a blanket to warm a lost and hurting soul with the love of Jesus? Little by little the Lord used Jonah to correct my spirit and refocus myself on the Great Commission His Son gave to us in Matthew. I must spread this life saving, chain breaking, soul freeing Good News to all nations without any stipulations or concerns for my personal fear. I really enjoyed reading everyone else's take on Jonah too! It is amazing to see the spiritual maturity and growth in this community.
I said this at the very beginning – and its how I still feel today. I have ready the story of Jonah before – but I had never read the Word of God in the book of Jonah before. This time, God's perfect timing, She Reads Truth's perfect timing, I got it! I got it! Jonah's failings – God's faithfulness. Jonah's obedience – God's faithfulness. God is God regardless of who we are.
I was struck at the end when the number of souls saved was revealed – 120,000. I know I have been given a message to deliver, and that number can either scare me away or that number can be what encourages me. Jonah said yes to God and saved over 120,000 people. I said yes to God and it shouldn't matter how many lives will be changed. I have an audience of One to please and that One will change the lives of others. I don't need to be obedient to 120,000 – I need to be obedient to the One. It's His job to change their lives – it's my job to obey Him.
As I have said before, I have never been a big Old Testament reader, save a 4 books. Add to that I never thought of Jonah much other than a child's Bible story! Stupid me. Thank you #shereadstruth writers and those commenting for opening my eyes to knew thoughts on the importance and truths in the Old Testament.
Am a typical Jonah…God spoke 2 me in serveral ways..Pride;Disobidence;being Rebellious;givn xcuses;anger;hatred.so mch mre…al dose thnz I do thnkin am walkn d right path..2day on my way 2 my new wrk;d guy sitting nxt 2 me n behind me;jst kpt gettn on ma nerves..bt thank God he controlled me I ws jst quiet…n dey ended up keepn quiet cos dey knw I was’nt respondn..who knwz wht wud hv happend if I did…
God’s great n gud esp wen we do his gud will…
"All those things I do thinking I'm walking the right path…" Girl, I'm right here with you. I get so caught up in what I do, good and bad, that I forget that it's about God, not me. Thank you for this, it was needed! God's grace is big enough to cover those moments of anger. Praise Him.
I woke up yesterday from angry dreams, and with petty complaints. Naturally, the focus verse was Jonah 4:4. Our God certainly has a sense of perfect timing.
Loved this study so much! You both (& guest writers!) have a way of unpacking scripture so that every story is seen through such a different lens! I’ve loved every shereadstruth study!!!!
So many truths in the study of Jonah, but one that really got to me was that I can’t run far enough or hide deep enough to escape God. That is so comforting and disconcerting at the same time. Comforting because I can’t grasp a love that big, and disconcerting for the same reason! But the best thing is knowing it’s pointless and a waste of time to run. I’m learning more all the time about not wasting time, and running straight to Him. But there is also this – the lives of the people brought to God even in Jonah’s disobedience. And the timing – maybe if Jonah had gone straight to Ninevah the people wouldn’t have been ready to hear his warning and repent. I know this -NOTHING is wasted in God’s hands. That’s bliss!
Good morning. Blessings one and all. SRT allowed me to see Jonah in a different light. Growing up all I knew was that a fish swallowed Jonah and for what reason I dont know. But glory to God I was lead here through my passion for the Word and its truth. I love it and the book captured my heart revealing the gracious, merciful,loving and forgiving God we serve. Wherever we are He is able to reach us. It also taught me to be obedient because there is a pupose on my life. Thanks again and may God continue to speak to us and be in our midst at all times. Have a wonderful week ladies.
"Wherever we are He is able to reach us." Yes!! Thank God!
Absolutely LOVE Jonah – at every turn, I saw myself. So humbling and good for me. Looking forward to growing from what I learner.
Amen Joanne! I'm comforted by the fact that I'm so much like Jonah– that we ALL have messy, rebellious lives and that God pursued Him relentlessly, no matter what. Beautiful.
Loved the study of Jonah. I had always remembered the story as a young kid learning in Sunday School, but there is so much more than just what we learned as kids. It taught me a lot about forgiveness and how God pursues us, no matter what. Thank you for this study!
I am like everyone else…there was SO MUCH to glean from this book!
But I was struck by the day that SRT pointed out the extent that Jonah went to get away from God's call. It was like 2200 miles to Tarshish! On the tip of Spain, it was considered "the end of the world". Now I might not literally run away, couldn't afford to go that far, lol, but I do it in my heart, in my head, my stubborn will, all the time!
Just like Jonah, I think I know what is best…and I always have so much to learn.
Today I am grateful for mercy. Blessed Monday sisters! ♥
I am grateful for mercy too….. this book has been an amazing reminder of God's love to give us 2nd/22nd/2,000000th chances!!
Blessed Monday to you too :-)
me too Nannette … His Mercy … !!! Thank you.
Me too!
I have been reading #shereadstruth's devotional on the book of Jonah. I'll admit I really like the first three books of Jonah but then I get irritated by the end. It doesn't end nice, neat and orderly like I would like it to. I often wondered why it ends like this. Then I understood… No one is nice, neat and orderly. Like Jonah I disobey God, then obey God and then stomp my feet – like Jonah, I'm a mess :) I'm so thankful that God is the God and Savior of messy people!
Amen! That His story was not finished there, oh no– and that much mess probably still came about in His life afterwards, which God was still willing to make right. Praise you, God! That in these overly complicated lives, your Love rings true!
This entire book has been pretty humbling to me. How GOD used Jonah, not because Jonah obeyed or disobeyed, but because GOD determined He would use Jonah. And then there's the fact that GOD loved the Ninevites, had compassion on them, and was merciful toward them, even as horrible as they were. And here I have trouble loving this know-it-all friend, or that emotionally needy person, etc. And it always seems that GOD puts me back into situations where I'm dealing with the same kind of people. I think I've way too often "run" from situations in which I was being called upon to give much more than I was willing to give to people who exhausted me in the giving. I'm extremely thankful GOD has not given up on me and praying for His strength, His Spirit, His love, to this time fulfill His purposes with a willing and repentant heart.
Oh my…this is me! "people who exhausted me in the giving" yikes! How often have I "exhausted" my Lord in His pursuing me, teaching me and extending me mercy? Thank you for this thought.
Oh my. No this is ME!!! Through this study of Jonah I have rediscovered AGAIN how selfish I really am. Always wanting my way when and how I want it. I have prayed God would create in me a clean heart and renew a RIGHT spirit within me. To be more aware and more willing to extend the abounding love and never ending Grace to others that My God has extended to me over and over again. When your ninety year old mother ( who by the way is sweet and kind and quite spry for her age)lives with you it is kind of hard to run from those opportunities like Jonah did but all too often I have still tried to bury my head in the sand. Oh Lord help me to extend that boundless Grace to her that I might honor her the rest of her days. Like you stinav96 I am extremely thankful God hasn't given up on me and am praying for his strength , His Spirit and His love to fulfill his purpose with a willing and repentant heart. Thanks for sharing.
Yes! Amen! "GOD used Jonah, not because Jonah obeyed or disobeyed, but because GOD determined He would use Jonah." Lord, thank you for determining to use me, to use all of us, in the prescribed ways you've set out– no matter what we do. Thank you for not giving up on us. Forgive me for running away from and wrestling with your love. I need you, father. I need you. Praise God!
Good morning Sisters,
Do I do well to be angry? or sometimes grateful? absolutely NOT! the whole study really opened my eyes, running from God, then being rescued and even when was covered in guts ( my sin ) he still Loved He preserved me, to use me for whatever it may be I choose to obey and react. But if that was not enough after reading this mornings reading at the end .The Lord really spoke to me and I started to cry and here I sit feeling ungrateful with my plant that he gave to shelter me and still not happy, that it's not this or that and why Lord? I keep asking him! it hit me hard! so with this I am sorry and I am very grateful for him saving me from my sin wiping me clean, and putting me back on track to go and do his work. I thank him for what he has Blessed me with. I will work on my getting angry when things are not going my way, and stop questioning him why things are the way they are . I will focus and seek his face for what his will is for me not MINE. I'm sorry for being a whiney little brat.
Thank you everyone for sharing……
"And the Lord said: Do you do well to be angry?"
This verse stayed with me from day one! I hate to admit it, but I get frustrated often. And I think sometimes when I get angry I call it frustrated, because it sounds less severe and more justified I guess. But the truth is I get angry. And it doesn't suit me. So the fact that this verse was found in Jonah, not just once but twice, was a very timely reminder that NO I don't do well to be angry. In my Danish Bible it says something that translates to "Do you have the right to be angry?" and what I have learned these last couple of weeks is that I have no right to be angry. I can't justify to myself or God that I get frustrated and hold on to it, when it is often something so minor and something that won't matter tomorrow. I would do better to get upset with my own sin, and change, by the Grace of God, into the women that he so wants me to be. Gentle, compassionate, loving and kind. That is my prayer for my heart today! That I would see my sin, and fight it. See my own heart for what it is, wicked and selfish and ask God to soften it.
I love the word TRUTH……..especially in reference to God, the Bible, and me…..
I think next to love, we all would like to know the truth, whatever the situation, not to be kept in the dark, to know what everybody else knows,when everybody else knows it…..yes sometimes it's hard to hear, sometime a relief to know, there is a freedom that comes with knowing the truth….and this is where I am at with Jonah….
The book of Jonah, if I'm honest was always about a man and a fish, a big fish….even when I read the bible in a year last year it was still about the man and the BIG fish… this year the scales have been removed, I was reading Jonah, and yet it was a whole new book, a whole new story, same man, same fish, and yet so so much more…. it was a love story, a pursuit of one loved so very much, that not even running to the ends of the earth would stop or end that love…..it was a story of forgiveness, that no matter how deep your pit, how wide your sin, how long you have walked in darkness,( disobedience,pride, ext) there is forgiveness the same size and more waiting to be extended to you when you repent, 'in my distress I call out to you, and you answered me'…..it is a story of knowing the truth of who is pursuing you and worshipping and praising, Him, because the realisation is that salvation can only come from Him….it is a story of learning to trust and obey, a story of friendship, and mercy, even a little humour, between a God Almighty and a regular man, who does the I told you so thing and goes off sulking, in the sun, …but God… produces a plant that would give Jonah shade, whilst still pouting, only to wither It next day…( I guess I can see me in this), it is a story that has me smiling because however many thousands of years ago this happened, it is my story too, sadly….but the Truth is NOW …I know that I have a God who loves me no matter what, however far I feel I need to run away from Him, when things go wrong(according to me), He will never let me go, He will never leave me nor forsake me….His forgiveness abilities are off the Richter scale, and that His mercy 'had me at hello' I am in Awe of our God…I am so changed since reading Jonah……TRUTH is God is good all the time, God is good…AMEN.
Sorry about the missive, I was inspired….bless you my sister's…have a great God blessed Monday….x x x xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanking God for your "missive". It really spoke to me today. True Truth!
Jonah’s story did capture me. I was disturbed by the lack of resolution at the end. I so identified with him that I wanted to know that he had a renewed mind and spirit in the end. What struck me is that it really is not about how successful we are at following, etc. It’s about the great love and grace of who we belong to. The weaker we are the greater His strength is in us.
Does it me well to be angry? Absolutely not. May I live in His joy today!
Your words are so needed today. "What struck me is that it really is not about how successful we are at following, etc. It's about the great love and grace of who we belong to." Lord, write these words in my heart. In all our hearts.
Day 5 really spoke to me, the Sailors who were with Jonah in the boat..
"But no. The men tried rowing back to the shore. They made no headway. The storm only got worse and worse while raging. Then they prayed to God…" – Jonah 1:13-14 [MSG]
— One of my "take aways" (because I have so many!) is to NOT wait for the storm to get worse, wild, and raging before I pray. Instead of trying harder on my own during the storm, I must surrender, listen, and obey to what God wants me to do… As I surrender, I can be assured that God will show His great power!
"The sailors were awestruck by the Lord's great power." – Jonah 1:16
Have a blessed day sisters! :)
Listening to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQGnleZWZ88
Thank you SO much for adding that YouTube link. I had opened my Bible on a random page incase God would speak to me that way this morning…. it fell open to Jeremiah 51 and the section of verses 15-19 had caught my eye. But I was finding it hard to make sense of, and I was thinking that maybe this wasn't from God and it was all too much hard work! I clicked open the link and as the worship music started and I was inspired to quietly worship as I read, and then it all made so much sense and became a series of really powerful and important verses to me, ending with the climax "But the God of Israel is no idol! He is the Creator of everything that exists, including his people, his own special possession. The Lord of Heaven's Armies is his name!"!!!
I remembered the power of having a worshipping heart when we approach God's Word…. thank you for that lovely reminder this morning – you blessed me! x
Love that song Misce! ♥
Oh wow! Facing a very difficult week this week in many ways. The promise in verse 9 just made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
Thank you Lord for reminding me that whatever happens you are there.
Since I was last here, I have faced "very difficult" days, yet that promise is worth its weight in gold. Hold on to each one Kate and I will pray for you as you face this week with strength and courage.