When God Sends the Whale
Inspired by Proverbs 16:9 and Jonah’s Journey
Written by Misty Craig
Dear Friend,
Let it be known for sure: God will send a whale if that’s what it takes to reroute us when we’ve shut down spiritually. And yes, spiritual shutdowns can happen to even the most seasoned believers — those of us who know the Word, love God deeply, and have walked closely with Him.
Jonah has always been one of my favorite people in Scripture. I relate to him more than I’d like to admit. Not because I’ve lived in open rebellion, but because I’ve tried so hard to be obedient, only to find myself frustrated when obedience didn’t lead to the outcome I expected.
As I’ve grown older and matured in faith, I’ve had to accept a hard truth: obedience doesn’t guarantee comfort. It doesn’t always lead to clarity. Sometimes, doing what God asks still ends in outcomes that hurt or confuse me. And I’ll be honest, there have been moments I didn’t want to follow through, because I already sensed God would use the situation in a way that didn’t sit well with me.
That’s when I saw Jonah in myself.
Not because I doubted God’s power,
but because I struggled with surrendering my desire for control.
Not because I didn’t want His will, but because I didn’t want it that way.
Not because I was rebellious, but because I was reluctant.
Sometimes, God’s grace offends our sense of fairness.
Sometimes, His mercy reaches places and people we don’t want to reach.
And when that happens, it can trigger a shutdown. Not physical, but spiritual.
We pull back. We resist. We coast.
But here’s what I’ve learned:
“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9
God sees the path I’ve mapped out. But He lovingly steps in and reroutes me.
Even when I resist, He knows my heart.
He knows that deep down, I really do want His will, not mine.
So He intervenes, not to punish me, but to position me.
That’s the God I serve.
That’s the God Jonah met.
And like Jonah, I’ve had to surrender again and again, not because God forces me, but because His mercy outweighs my fear. Because when it’s all said and done, I don’t want my own way. I want His way. Even if it costs. Even if I never fully understand the why.
So yes, I understand why Jonah said, “Nope, I’m not going.”
And I understand why God said, “Oh, but you are.”
Because God sees the bigger picture.
Because there’s more at stake than our comfort.
Because someone’s revival is on the other side of our obedience.
And His grace?
It’s more than sufficient, even for those we think deserve it the least.
Even for us, in our moments of spiritual shutdown.
So if you’ve shut down…
If you’re running from the thing God keeps calling you to…
If you’re standing on the dock, heading toward your own boat to Tarshish…
Know this:
God still knows how to send a whale.
And what feels like a shutdown may just be His setup for something greater.
With grace and truth,
Misty Craig