“Love can transform your most challenging relationships.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – April 21, 2025
But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa. Jonah 1:3
Are you facing a difficult challenge? Dealing with a tough situation or a hard person can be exhausting. I once worked alongside a team member who rarely smiled and appeared to have a goal in life not to cooperate. Yet, I was responsible for loving and leading this resistant human being. As much as I cajoled and attempted to build rapport, I was going relationally backward. Hard indeed. Many times, in disgust, I wanted to give up on attempting to build a trust bridge. But the Lord reminded me to remind my friend of his belovedness in Christ. What? We had work to do, and I did not have time for counseling. Yet, love required me to do the hard thing: help a brother discover his hurt and invite love to heal his heart. Eventually…he smiled, a good start!
Jonah faced a challenging situation. You know that moment when he decided to board a ship bound for Tarshish instead of going to Nineveh? Talk about avoiding a tough conversation! Jonah couldn’t bear the thought of warning his enemies about God’s judgment—especially since he was aware that the Lord might forgive them if they repented. The text states he “ran away from the presence of the Lord,” which feels relatable, doesn’t it? We all sometimes flee from difficult assignments. For Jonah, preaching to the Ninevites meant possibly aiding the very people who had brutalized his homeland. His patriotism and sense of justice clashed with obedience. In hindsight, Jonah could have paused to wrestle with his feelings honestly rather than running away. He might have sought courage, a change of heart, or even prayed, as many faithful prophets did. The wiser choice would have been to confront his prejudice and trust in the Lord’s larger purposes—even when they didn’t align with his personal sense of justice.
What difficult assignment might God be asking you to accept today? His challenging assignments often come in unexpected forms. Maybe the Holy Spirit is nudging you to have that complicated conversation you’ve been avoiding—with the family member you’ve grown distant from or the colleague whose actions have hurt you. Perhaps He’s asking you to serve in that ministry no one else wants or to be generous when your own finances feel tight. For some, the assignment might be internal—letting go of a dream you’ve held onto, forgiving someone who hasn’t apologized, or surrendering control over a situation you desperately want to fix. I had a friend who felt called to mentor a challenging teenager everyone else had given up on, while another realized God was asking her to stay in her unglamorous job rather than pursue a more prestigious position. What’s that problematic thing you keep coming back to? Your reluctance might be your clue that God’s invitation lies there. Learn from Jonah’s prideful procrastination and move toward the hard thing, trusting the Lord is at work. God things can be hard things!
Above all, embrace the Lord’s heart of love as you navigate challenging situations and interact with difficult people. When facing that coworker who constantly criticizes your ideas or the relative who pushes your buttons, remember—God’s love can flow through you even when it feels impossible. Try pausing before responding to that passive-aggressive text. Ask yourself, “How would love approach this?” Maybe it means listening to understand rather than defending or setting boundaries with kindness instead of resentment. A friend of mine keeps a simple note on her desk: “Love first, respond later.” Love can transform your most challenging relationships.
Prayer
Father, give me courage to embrace the hard things You’ve placed before me. Transform my reluctance into willingness, my fear into faith. Help me trust Your purposes in my discomfort. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Application
Where is the Spirit inviting you to embrace the hard thing?
Related Reading
Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Hebrews 12:11; James 1:2-4
Worship Resource
We The Kingdom: Won’t He Do It
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