Out Of The Belly Of The Fish

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.” Lamentations 3:22

Jonah was often viewed as a rebel because he refused to go share the gospel to Nineveh. Most people do not know that Nineveh was a violent and brutal city. The people had structures made from the bones of people they killed and they would execute prophets or other outsiders in grotesque ways. Jonah knew going to that city was a death sentence. Many prophets had gone in the past and the people rejected them. Because of Jonah’s disobedience, God caused a storm to come while he was trying to leave on a boat and he later was swallowed by a giant fish. 

Don’t waste what you have been through. God can use your pain to bring someone hope today.

The people of Nineveh worshiped the god “Dagon” which was half man, half fish. Even though no prophet had ever been able to break through to these wicked people, Jonah incited a city-wide revival with one sermon. How was he able to do this? Well, imagine that you are a guard for the city of Nineveh and suddenly you see a huge fish emerge out of the water and spit a man out onto the shore! This would be enough to get your attention right? (Especially if you worshiped a half man, half fish god.) All the people were in awe and repented and surrendered to God.

Out of the “belly” of failure Jonah was able to reach a city. God can use storms to get you in alignment with His assignment. You came out of the “belly” of sin and hardship to show someone else they can too. When you crawl out of the depths of addiction, divorce, debt, or grief you can minister to others in a powerful way because they know that it is possible to get out. God used the “fish” of hardship as the means to reach a lost city. Don’t waste what you have been through. Use your pain to bring someone hope today.

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