GREAT SUFFERINGS AND GREAT LEARNINGS 

Greg and Nanette Robinson 

Today’s Scripture: “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.” Jonah 2:2 ESV 

Theme: Desperation can bring us to our knees and be a doorway to prayer. 

CRYING OUT FROM THE DEPTHS OF OUR DESPAIR 

Today's Scripture finds Jonah, one of God's great prophets, crying out from the depths of despair. God had called him to go to the city of Nineveh and proclaim a message of repentance so that its people might turn from their sin and receive God's mercy. But Jonah didn't want to go. It didn't seem fair. Why should God show grace to a people Jonah viewed as wicked, violent, and undeserving? Why should he leave the comfort of ministering to Israel to bring hope to an enemy nation?  

Jonah couldn't reconcile God's mercy with his own sense of justice, so he chose to run from God's will. At first, running seemed easier than obeying. But every step away from God led Jonah deeper into trouble until finally, a violent storm threatened to destroy everything around him. Eventually, he found himself sinking beneath the waves, swallowed by a great fish, and calling out to God from what he described as the belly of Sheol. In Hebrew, Sheol refers to the realm of the dead, the grave, the place where all hope appears lost. Have you ever been there? 

GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS 

As Nanette and I prepared this devotional, we talked about the times in our lives when we felt desperate and cried out to God, praying that He would hear us and deliver us from circumstances that were crushing us mentally, physically, or spiritually. In many ways, we found ourselves identifying with Jonah. Neither of us has experienced being swallowed by a great fish, but we both know what it feels like to be overwhelmed by circumstances beyond our control. For Nanette, it was a life-altering medical crisis. For me, it was the pressure, uncertainty, and conflicts that can come with leadership and business. Like Jonah, we struggled to understand why God would allow these things to happen. We have wrestled with fear, frustration, and feelings of helplessness. We prayed for answers, relief, and a way out. Yet, as time passed, we learned that peace did not come from trying to understand and control our circumstances. It came from surrendering them to God. 

SUFFERING BRINGS GREAT LEARNINGS  

Nanette and I enjoy spending time together reflecting on Scripture and the spiritual journey God has taken us on through the years. As we continued to discuss Jonah's story, we found ourselves relating to his desperation and his eventual surrender to God's will. Like Jonah, we reflected on the experiences that broke us, humbled us, and ultimately led us to place everything in God's hands. During our conversation, Nanette mentioned Elizabeth Elliot, one of the most influential Christian missionaries, authors, and speakers of the twentieth century. Many know her remarkable story. After her husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956 by members of the Waorani tribe in Ecuador, Elizabeth made the extraordinary decision to return to Ecuador and minister to the very people who had taken his life. 

Her story is beautifully told in the book, Through the Gates of Splendor, a testimony of faith, forgiveness, and unwavering trust in God. Reflecting on her journey, it's easy to understand why one of her most well-known quotes resonates deeply with many believers: "The deepest things that I have learned in my own life have come from the deepest sufferings." As we considered those words, we realized just how true they have been in our own lives.  

Make It Personal: The beauty of being a follower of Christ is that even in the most difficult seasons of life, we are never alone. Whether our circumstances are the result of our own choices or simply the hardships that come with living in a broken world, we have a gracious and merciful Heavenly Father who hears our cries, walks beside us in our pain, comforts us with His presence, and responds to our prayers. What is happening in your life that has you crying out to God as Jonah did? What burden, disappointment, fear, or struggle has brought you to the end of yourself? Perhaps the suffering you are experiencing is not merely something to endure, but an opportunity to draw closer to God. If you do not have a personal relationship With Jesus Christ, perhaps this season is revealing your need for Him. Through Jesus, you can receive forgiveness, peace with God, purpose for this life, and the hope of eternal life. You can come to Him right where you are by placing your faith in Him and discovering that you never have to walk through life alone. 

Pray: Father, I come before You in the Name of Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Lord, hear my prayer. I confess to You the struggles and burdens in my life where I need Your help. I am tired of worrying. I am tired of being afraid. I am tired of being weary, and I am tired of placing my trust in anything other than You. So today, I will surrender it all to You. As I rise from my knees, help me to seek and embrace Your will for my life in every circumstance. I ask that I would experience the comfort of Your presence and receive the courage to relentlessly follow You as my Lord. I ask all these things in the Name of Your precious Son, Jesus. Amen. 

Read: Psalm 34:17, Mathew 7:7, 1 John 5:14 

Weekly Memory Verse: “When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.” Jonah 2:7, ESV