Have you ever got into a predicament where it feels like the walls are closing in on you, and there doesn’t seem like any way out? If that is the case, you can relate with Jonah. Whether your situation was self-inflicted or caused by external influences, Jonah shows us that we care to turn to Jesus in prayer. He prayed from the belly of a fish.
Jonah 2:9
“But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD.”
Sees the Errors of His Ways
Jonah is an entirely different person in chapter 2 than he is in chapter 1. Humbling circumstances do that to people. He ran from God and ended up getting toss off the boat and swallowed by a fish. Now he is praying from the belly of a fish. He sees the errors of his ways and declares that he will worship with a spirit of thanksgiving. His heart has changed, and as soon as God sees that He has the fish spit Jonah out on the beach.
Don’t Wait for a Crisis
Isn’t it interesting that our prayers are most pure and urgent when we are in predicaments we can’t wiggle out of? The rest of the time, our prayers can be mediocre, at best. You don’t want to wait for a crisis to work on your prayer life. Each day we should be drawing closer to Jesus through our Bible reading and prayer. God’s Word is active and powerful. It shouldn’t be just words on paper but piercing to our hearts. When we pray, it aligns our heart with His.
From the Belly of a Fish
Jonah fell into a trap that we are in danger of falling into as well. It happens when we let our feelings override what God’s Word says. When you go against that, it won’t be long before you find yourself in a difficult circumstance where only prayer will rescue you. It will feel like you are crying out to God from the belly of a fish. Take preventive action against by cultivating your prayer life to the point where it keeps your heart aligned with Jesus.