How to Cultivate a Life that Is More Responsive to God’s Call

How to Cultivate a Life that Is More Responsive to God’s Call

Author: Colin Smith February 3, 2026 Duration: 2:24

*Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish.*


Jonah 1:3

Jonah avoided a God-centred life. He had planned where he wanted to live and what he wanted to do, and when God disrupted his plan, he quit.

If your plan becomes more important than God’s plan, you cannot live a God-centred life. What if God calls you to a different life for the sake of people who need to hear the Gospel? Here is how you can live a God-centred life:

1. Recognise what you are doing now is only for a time
The world wants you to believe that everything is secure and permanent. But your home, your work, and the people you love are yours only for a time. Hold lightly to what you are doing now. It will not be forever.

2. Keep your dreams on the altar of God
God is free at any time to disturb your dreams and to give you a new calling. While God planned for you to be here today, He may have you doing something you never imagined a year from now.

3. Practise making yourself available to God
The more comfortable you are in life, the more difficult it will be for you to obey God’s call. Keep your heart in a place where you can say, “If there’s something else You want me to do, Lord, I’m ready and willing to do it.”


Have you ever asked God if He wants you in cross-cultural ministry? Have you asked how you can be most useful to Him? Or is it all about you? Practise making yourself available to God.


Looking for a moment of calm and clarity in your day? Open the Bible UK Daily offers a brief, thoughtful pause with host Colin Smith. Each episode is a concise reflection designed to fit into the busiest schedule, providing a focused look at scripture and its relevance to everyday life. You'll hear insights drawn directly from the Bible, presented without pretense or lengthy commentary. The delivery by Sue McLeish brings a warm and engaging tone to these daily installments, making complex themes accessible and personal. This podcast is for anyone seeking a regular touchpoint for spiritual encouragement, whether you're well-versed in Christian teaching or simply curious. It’s a daily habit that prioritizes depth over duration, aiming to connect ancient wisdom with modern realities. Tune in for a straightforward exploration of faith that fits right into your morning routine, commute, or quiet moment. The consistent, short format makes it easy to return to day after day, building a rhythm of reflection. Listen to this podcast for a reliable source of perspective and peace, grounded in a traditional text but spoken into contemporary life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Open the Bible UK Daily
Podcast Episodes
#8: Reduce God’s Salvation by Crediting Your Response [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:28
“I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.”Jonah 2:1Jonah is a wonderful model for us here. Notice, he gives God all the glory for his sa…
Did You Know That God Saves Desperate, Repentant People? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:46
“The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head. To the roots of the mountains I went down.”Jonah 2:5-6If salvation is something we do for ourselves with moral effo…
Did You Know That God Saves Guilty, Believing People? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:56
“I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.Jonah 2:2Maybe you have the idea that you need to clean up your life before God can save you. T…
#7: Restrain God’s Praise on Account of Your Pain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:36
“Salvation belongs to the LORD!”Jonah 2:9If you want to emphasise something important, you could put it at the beginning, like in a headline; in the middle, like in a climax; or at the end, like in a conclusion.If you wa…
Parking at the Super Bowl [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:27
“Should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left?”Jonah 4:11Imagine that you are responsible for parking at the Super Bowl. Your j…
Three Ways to Grow in Compassion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:27
“Should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left?”Jonah 4:4-11Here are three ways we can grow in compassion:1. Rejoice in God’s un…
#6: Receive God’s Mercy and Withhold It from Others [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55
When God saw… how they turned from their evil way, Godrelented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them.Jonah 3:10Here we have a wonderful window into the heart of God. He relented and had compassion on the N…
See God's Love for You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:17
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.Hebrews 12:3Think about the vine, the worm, and the wind in the life of our Lord Jesus.Jesus chose twel…
Two Signs That You May Be Living a Vine-Centred Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:58
The LORD God appointed a plant… to save him from his discomfort… God appointed a worm that attacked the plant… God appointed a scorching east wind.Jonah 4:6-8It’s easy to see why God provided the vine for Jonah. God is g…
#5: Rejoice in God’s Gifts As If They Were Rights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:51
Jonah went out of the city… and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.Jonah 4:5Put yourself in Jonah’s shoes. You are feeling miserable and resentf…