Jonah could run from God, but he couldn't outrun God. Even in the most unlikely place—the slimy belly of a fish somewhere in the middle of the ocean—Jonah couldn't escape God's grace and mercy. Though his actions and attitudes had led him to a desperate place, God was still pursuing him. He was being disciplined.
Being disciplined is never fun. But sometimes it’s only after a season of brokenness that we begin to see life more clearly. Is that why God disciplines us? Not to pay us back, but because he actually loves us?