Running From God // Hosting His Presence // Pastor Aaron Chapman // Alive Church

What does it really mean to be running from God—and how is it affecting your life? In this powerful and eye-opening sermon, “Running from God,” we dive deep into the reality that many of us are delaying obedience, avoiding God’s voice, and unintentionally making life harder than it needs to be. Running from God isn’t just about physically turning away—it’s about resisting His presence, ignoring His direction, and choosing our own way over His purpose. The truth is, God is calling each of us to take a next step, but when we run, we delay blessings, harden our hearts, and miss out on truly knowing Him. This message unpacks 8 real reasons why people run from God, including pride, greed, guilt, shame, anger, disappointment, and the desire to stay in control. Many times, we convince ourselves with excuses and lies, choosing temporary comfort over eternal purpose. But the longer we run, the more difficult life becomes. Through the story of Jonah (Jonah 1:10), we see how running from God not only affects us, but also impacts others around us. When we resist God, we often learn lessons the hard way, walking in the wrong direction and wasting valuable time. Scripture reminds us in Hebrews 3:15 that when we continually resist God, our hearts can become hardened—making it harder to hear Him and respond. But here’s the good news: God doesn’t give up on us. Even when we run, God pursues us with grace, love, and persistence. While there may come moments where God allows us to experience the consequences of our choices (Psalm 81:12, Romans 1:24-28), it’s never to destroy us—it’s to give us space to realize our need for Him. His grace meets us even in our mistakes, offering us chance after chance to return. Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom to wake us up, but no matter how far you’ve gone, you can always come back to the Father’s house. God is still calling you. He’s still making a way. This sermon gives 3 powerful, practical steps to stop running from God: 2. 2. Repent