Sometimes when things don’t go your way and it seems that more and more stuff is working against you it can feel like you are in the ‘belly of the whale’ so to speak. Several things have transpired over the last few days that brought that whole concept back to the forefront of my mind. As I was thinking about being in the belly of the whale last night, my mind wandered to Jonah and what he actually did while in that big fish. Taking the short trip over to the second chapter of Jonah, I was reminded of the words of Jonah as he cries out to the Creator. It’s interesting that at first he laments the despair he finds himself in and nothing happens. However, as soon as he turns his attention to praise and devotion he finds himself heading to dry land.
“Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” Jonah 2:8-10
I can’t say for sure there is any correlation to his change in attitude to his ejection from the fish, but I think it’s sure something to think about as we check our own attitudes if and when we find ourselves in the whale’s belly.