“The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 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.’ ” And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”
We all go through dark nights of the soul -- whether because of choices we made, or just because of circumstances that are out of our control. Jonah rejected the instruction of the Lord and that’s how he ended up in the belly of the whale. Even there, the Lord was able to reach him. Even there, it was not too late for him to turn his heart and his life back to the Lord. And that’s where he found salvation. If you are in the belly of a whale of a dark time -- a dark night of the soul -- don’t give up. And don’t resign yourself to stay there. Turn to the Lord. Cling to the Lord, and He will answer you, and He will save you. He will make a way where there is no way -- even if it’s a mess we got ourself into.
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