Stuck in the Belly of the Great Fish

How responsive are you to constructive criticism? Are you quick to act on it? Or do you, like Jonah, need some time to process and apply?

In the book of Jonah, we read of the prophet Jonah’s calling to deliver a message of repentance and warning to the corrupt city of Nineveh.

God described Nineveh as a wicked city (Jonah 1:2). It was probably full of all kinds of things that caused Jonah to want to stay far away from it: violence, idolatry and all sorts of immorality. It was also the capital city of the rising Assyrian Empire, which was a threat to the surrounding nations, including Israel, Jonah’s homeland.

Jonah was so opposed to going to Nineveh that he actually ran in the opposite direction. We all know the story. The ship he so eagerly boarded to escape his calling was bombarded by a brutal storm. Recognizing he was to blame, Jonah encouraged the sailors to throw him overboard where he was swallowed up by a great fish. It was in that fish’s belly that he had a chance to analyze himself.

Though we may not fully know or understand Jonah’s thinking, it seems he didn’t want God to be merciful to the people living in Nineveh (Jonah 4:2). Perhaps he thought he was being patriotic to his own nation by refusing to fulfill the mission God had given him, which could lead to repentance by an enemy nation. According to the account, it took Jonah a while to realize that what he had done was wrong.  

When we are corrected, does it take us a long time to accept it? During the three days and three nights Jonah was in the belly of the fish, he had time to think about his disobedience and to repent (Jonah 1:17; 2:1-9).

In the days that followed, God taught Jonah a lesson about repentance and obedience from the most unlikely place—Nineveh! Even though the Ninevites had nearly no knowledge of right or wrong (Jonah 4:11), they were very prompt to repent at the preaching of Jonah. Jonah should have set the example of immediately following God—instead, it was the Ninevites.

So, how can we apply this lesson?

1. Strive to remain humble

“He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” (Proverbs 29:1). Ignoring correction out of pride can be detrimental to our spiritual health. If we are stiff-necked (proud), we can’t see beyond our own opinion of ourselves. This can cause us to become like Jonah and not respond to God. We need to put pride behind us and humble ourselves (1 Peter 5:5-6).

2. Accept criticism even when it comes harshly

While we are told throughout the Bible to be gentle in correcting others (Galatians 6:1), sometimes we are not corrected in this manner. When we are sharply corrected, we can have the tendency to resist or run. But even if correction is given harshly, we can still seek to learn from it. Jonah’s message to the Ninevites was one of condemnation—not believing repentance was even a possibility (Jonah 3:4). But God did not have this same view. Even though Jonah was harsh and condemning, the Ninevites still accepted the correction, repented and were spared from destruction (Jonah 3:5-10).

3. Don’t get discouraged

Like Jonah after his encounter with Nineveh (Jonah 4:1-3), sometimes we get hit with correction after correction! When this happens, we can get very discouraged and even feel like giving up. At times like these, it’s important to remember that we have all fallen short (Romans 3:23) and that we can always turn things around.

Jonah had three days and three nights in a fish belly to start figuring things out. We can also take time in a “great fish” (or maybe just somewhere quiet!) to pray, study and meditate.

We will all face criticism in this life, but rather than seeing it as a curse, we can use it as a motivation for self-analysis, application and growth.

To learn more about this book and its lessons, read “Jonah.”