How To Pray When You Hit Rock Bottom Like Jonah

Some people can’t look up until they hit absolute rock bottom. That’s what happened to Jonah, the reluctant prophet from ancient Israel. God had called him to preach to the enemy city of Ninevah, but instead he ran in the opposite direction. Caught in a storm of his own making, he was thrown overboard into the raging sea. That’s when he was famously swallowed up by a great fish. 

[Related: When Jonah Ran]

Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of that fish – a perfect metaphor for hitting rock bottom in life. It was there that Jonah was able to reflect on his choices. His prayer is recorded for us in Jonah chapter 2, and it’s an example of how we should pray when our choices leave us in a dark place. Let’s break it down into three steps.

Step 1: Admit

The first step is to admit the trouble you’re in. This might seem obvious, but it’s a classic move for troublemakers in every generation. Even the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous start with an admission: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.”

It’s not clear why Jonah suddenly got honest about his situation. Maybe it was the nagging sense of guilt that follows disobedience. Perhaps it was the panic that comes with a near-death experience. Or possibly Jonah was simply claustrophobic. Whatever the case, he prayed:

Jonah 2:2-6 He said, “I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble…. I called to you from the land of the dead… I sank beneath the waves…. I sank down to the very roots of the mountains….”

Jonah took an inventory, and he acknowledged that he was in a dark place. He got specific, and he even wrote it down. He was done with denial, and that was the beginning of his victory. But Jonah didn’t just admit the facts of his predicament; he also recognized God’s part in the whole story: 

Jonah 2:3- “You threw me into the ocean depths…. buried beneath your wild and stormy waves. Then I said, ‘O LORD, you have driven me from your presence.'”

Jonah knew that the storm was the catalyst for God’s hand of discipline. And instead of railing against God for it, he simply acknowledged it. He knew that God was treating him like a son, and he deserved what was coming to him.  

Proverbs 3:11-12 (NLT) My child, don’t reject the LORD’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.

Sometimes God has no choice but to discipline us. It’s never fun, but it’s always for our good.  For some people, rock bottom is the only place they’ll look up – and admit the trouble they’re in.

Step 2: Affirm

The second step in our rock-bottom prayer is to affirm who God is – and that he’s able to save. The twelve steps say it like this: “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” For a Christian that “Power” has a name – the Lord. Jonah knew it too:

“I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and LORD, you heard me! … I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, snatched me from the jaws of death!”

Jonah affirms three things about God in his prayer: “he answered me,” “he heard me,” and he “snatched me from the jaws of death!” Jonah’s “great trouble” caused him to run toward God instead of running away from him. 

[Related: Prayer – What? Why? When? Where? Who?]

Take a careful look at Jonah 2 and here’s what you’ll find: Jonah never mentions the fish in his prayer. Instead, he mentions “Sheol” – the Hebrew place of the dead. Surely Jonah expected to drown when he was thrown overboard into the raging sea. Down he sank, and then everything went black. His situation was hopeless. It’s likely that Jonah didn’t realize he was miraculously swallowed by a fish – and kept alive! 

Here’s the point: we’re not always aware of God’s rescue plan, even when we’re right in the middle of it. For Jonah, the fish was God’s provision, not his punishment. It was the means by which God would eventually deliver Jonah safely to shore. 

Step 3: Align

The final step that Jonah models for us is to align ourselves with God’s plan. Remember: Jonah got into this mess because of his misalignment at the beginning of the story. He rejected God’s calling on his life and ran in the opposite direction. Now, at rock bottom, he finally makes the right choice:

Jonah 2:7-9 “As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies. But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.”

In the belly of the fish, Jonah finally vows to try things God’s way. He has seen God’s salvation and his own sinfulness, and he’ll go to Ninevah after all. It’s reminiscent of another prophet:

Isaiah 6:5-8 (NLT) Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

A genuine encounter with the God of the Bible has a way of changing our plans. It’s not just that God is awesome and to be feared – though that is true enough. The real epiphany for both Jonah and Isaiah is that God is gracious and to be loved – because he’s willing to let us off the hook for our sins. 

The third step of AA articulates what Jonah did in that fish thousands of years ago: “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.” Jonah aligned with God because he was finally starting to understand him. He is a God who cares about everyone, even prophets who are reluctant to obey.

Have you hit rock bottom in your life? Admit the trouble you’re in. Affirm that God alone has the power to save you. And align yourself with his plans, and stop running in the opposite direction.

[Related: Steps to Recovery Series]