We all from time to time have problems enter our lives, problems that seem way beyond our ability to cope. Those great problems may be financial. They may be health issues. Maybe it is a physical injury you are dealing with. For some it is a moral problem. For others perhaps a problem with stress. Whatever problem you may be facing, there is no question that it is beyond your knowledge or ability to cope. God says, “That’s alright. Just turn to Me and trust Me. I will see you through whatever it is.” The key is turning to God.
In Jonah chapter 2 we find Jonah inside the belly of a “great fish” (1:17). Talk about a problem that is beyond your ability to cope! What did Jonah do? “Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God form the fish’s belly” (2:1). The rest of this chapter (vs. 2-9) relates the content of Jonah’s prayer, along with the results in verse 10.
Jonah began with confession. “I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,” he prayed (v. 2a). Jonah knew why he ended up where he did. He fully understood that the Lord God was disciplining him for his rebellion against God. He was in the belly of the great fish because he had tried to run from God and His will. He had hoped to hide from God, though that proved to be impossible. Recognizing God’s purpose for the problem he faced, he did the right thing. He turned to God.
Jonah cried out, “I have been cast out of Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple” (v. 4). He went on, “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple” (v. 7). He made a commitment proving his repentance and the fact of his turning back to God. In verse 9 he said, “But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.”
Jonah turned to God and God restored Jonah to Himself. Jonah said, “And He answered me… And You heard my voice” (v. 2b). Later Jonah wrote, “Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God” (v. 6b). And most importantly, the end result in Jonah’s life: “So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land” (v. 10).
When you face problems that seem beyond your ability to cope, remember the lesson Jonah learned. First, it may very well be from God. Perhaps you have been running from Him and He is bringing discipline into your life to turn you back toward Him. Second, if so, repent. Turn to God and He will restore your relationship with Him as He intended it to be from the start. God loves you and He wants you to live your life for Him. He can empower you for just such a life, but you must first quit running from Him and turn back to Him. Do this and He will renew His fellowship with you. He will also see you through the problem you face, no matter what it is. Amen.
