“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.” Jonah 1:1-3 ESV
Sometimes in life we can all feel a little bit like Jonah. Sometimes it's easy to think, whether consciously or subconsciously, that it's easy just to get out of the way, leave God over there in a box, and go about doing our own thing. I'm not ashamed to admit it, and neither should you be!
Somehow we think there is a way to "flee from His presence". At times we try to run from a difficult situation or task God has called us to. We might even feel at times like it's "easier" to keep God at a distance. The reality is this.
The whole time you think you are somehow out of his presence, he is only using it to bring you closer to him, using it to lavish his love over you, using it to bring you into a greater level of intimacy with him! You can't escape his love, you can't out run his compassion, and you can't hide from his forgiveness!
You can chose to imagine that He isn't there... But that can never, and will never, change the fact that you have a God that is in constant pursuit of you, that is consistently cheering you on from the sidelines, and that won't stop relentlessly loving you!