“How to Run Away from God?” — Sunday Sermon from August 9, 2026

Introduction and Context

The title of the sermon carries an ironic tone—it is constructed on the principle of “harmful advice.” Since every Christian is, to some degree, a “specialist” in running away from God, the sermon reveals the opposite side: how to stop this flight and draw closer to the Creator during times of trial.

When faith finds itself under the pressure of circumstances, believers face doubts. However, trials are given not for destruction, but for refinement.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 1:3-7 (ESV)

Trials cause grief to Christians, as we do not become “superhumans” after repentance and still experience the full spectrum of emotions (war fatigue, shelling, daily hardship). However, the Apostle Peter calls us to rejoice, because tested faith becomes a precious treasure that safeguards salvation.

Central Scripture Passages: The Sign of the Prophet Jonah

The scribes and Pharisees demanded a special sign from Jesus to be convinced of His Messiahship, even though they had already witnessed countless miracles. Their problem was that they were looking for answers but did not want to hear them or change.

“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, ‘Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.’ But he answered them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.'”

Matthew 12:38-40 (ESV)

Instead of unique signs, Jesus points believers back to the Word of God and the familiar story of Jonah. In trying to run away from God’s calling to Spain (Tarshish), Jonah lost his freedom and found himself in complete isolation—inside a giant fish.

Key Thoughts of the Sermon

1. The Belly of the Fish Is a Tool of Salvation

When a person finds themselves in a dead end (sickness, job loss, life crisis), it is perceived as a disaster. Yet in God’s plan, it is an “isolation chamber” and a way to preserve life. Had the whale not swallowed Jonah during the storm, he simply would have drowned in the ocean.

A crisis stops our race, strips away usual distractions and illusions of control, and forces us to ponder what matters most—the meaning of life and our relationship with the Creator.

2. The Example of Clive Staples Lewis (“The Jonah of the Intellectual World”)

The story of fleeing from God repeats itself in every era. The author of “The Chronicles of Narnia”, Clive Staples Lewis, experienced the loss of his mother in his youth as well as the horrors of trench warfare during World War I (where he was wounded by a British shell near Arras). This caused him to turn away from God and build a “defensive wall” of atheism, logic, and science.

Lewis felt like an animal being hunted by the Hunter (God). While in deep spiritual darkness and an intellectual impasse, through the influence of Christian friends (notably J.R.R. Tolkien) and heartfelt prayer, he knelt in Oxford in 1929 and acknowledged God. This conversion transformed him into one of the most influential apologists of the 20th century.

3. The Whale Releases Us Only When We Become a Different Person

External circumstances change only after internal transformation takes place. It is impossible to emerge from a crisis without changing one’s own thinking and behavior.

Practical Steps for “Evacuating” a Crisis

1. Surrender to God: Stop fighting through personal schemes and manipulations. Acknowledge the failure of your own methods.
2. Be Radically Honest: Take 100% responsibility for your life. Jonah came out of the fish only when he stopped blaming the storm, the sailors, or the authorities, and said: “It is because of me.” Make a list of your own mistakes (fear, laziness, pride, selfishness).
3. Reframe the Question: Instead of “Why is this happening to me?”, ask “For what purpose has God allowed this in my life?”
4. Focus on the Actionable: Regain control over small daily details (asking for forgiveness, finishing incomplete repairs, budgeting). Faithfulness in little things leads to big changes.
5. Start Praying and Giving Thanks in Advance: Jonah began thanking God for salvation while still in complete darkness. Find 3–5 things you can thank God for right now in your current situation.

Key Question for Self-Examination:
“What is the first step I would like to take today?”

Testimonies of God’s Glory