Jonah and the addict: A revelation

Who knew this biblical book has a lot to say about addiction?

O

n a day I was scheduled to share my testimony in church, God prompted me to read the Book of Jonah. I thought I knew all about Jonah, the famous runaway prophet – but that day I realized he was also someone caught in a cycle I knew all too well.

I saw a man running from responsibility, drowning in his own choices, swallowed by darkness, and ultimately rescued by a grace he didn’t deserve. I saw an addict. I saw myself.

Jonah’s descent into the belly of the fish mirrored my own descent into addiction – the rebellion, the self-destruction, the rock-bottom moment in the bowels of despair.

And I saw the miracle of transformation – being spit out with all the messiness, to walk into freedom, still called, still chosen, still usable by God. I needed a good bath, mind you, but I still had purpose.

That moment before I went to share my testimony not only changed how I saw Jonah, it altered my perception of the life of someone bound by addiction. The struggle was so plain in the verses I read that it changed how I presented my testimony that morning.

Addiction does not discriminate. It touches every family, every community – and yes, every church. And yet many congregations feel unequipped to walk with those in recovery. Through my own testimony, years of coaching others and a renewed perspective on Jonah’s story, I’ve come to believe the Church can do more than respond – it can lead.

The addict’s journey

Addiction is not only a physical or emotional dependency. It’s a spiritual crisis gone sideways in our attempts to cope with something unbearable, something only God can handle. Our temporary solution might be alcohol, drugs, work, relationships, control, religious performance, food.

Jonah’s descent into the belly of the fish mirrored my own descent into addiction.

Let me trace how Jonah’s story can parallel the experience of addiction:

• Running (Jonah 1:3): Jonah flees from God’s call to pronounce judgment on the wickedness of the people of Ninevah, just as many addicts run from dealing truthfully with their trauma, shame or lies they’ve believed.
• Numbing (Jonah 1:5): While the storm rages Jonah sleeps below deck – a picture of denial and emotional shutdown.
• Consequences (Jonah 1:12): Jonah’s choices put others in danger. Addiction always affects more than just the addict.
• Crisis and crying out (Jonah 2): In the belly of the fish, Jonah finally breaks, prays and surrenders. The fish isn’t punishment – it’s provision. It was God’s way of keeping Jonah from drowning. In the same way rock bottom can be mercy in disguise. Many addicts don’t find healing until they reach the end of themselves. But even there in the darkest, messiest, most hopeless places, God is already waiting. Jonah’s prayer from the deep is part of the transformation. And his story tells us this – the same grace that found him in the fish can find anyone.
• Redemption and restoration (Jonah 3): God gives Jonah a second chance, just as He does for every repentant heart.

ILLUSTRATION: DANIEL CRESPO

Addiction always affects more than just the addict.

The community’s journey

The story of Jonah isn’t just about the prophet – it includes everyone in the boat. That realization helped me see what my actions had cost my family. They sacrificed and tried to fix me, always giving me the line, “This is the last time, Jennifer.” Until the last time was the last.

The sailors’ responses show how we often try to help someone in addiction:

• They asked questions (Jonah 1:8): An addict’s family and church community also wonder what happened. What did we do wrong? How can we fix this?
• They cast lots (Jonah 1:7): Our attempts to discern the truth can feel like guesswork as we search for answers without clarity.
• They threw cargo overboard (Jonah 1:5): They tried to lighten the load. Families often give up their peace, finances and well-being trying to manage the chaos addiction brings.
• They tried to row back to shore (Jonah 1:13): Despite the storm, we usually try to rescue someone on our own terms. Many churches and families exhaust themselves, hoping love and effort alone will be enough.
• They finally surrendered him to God (Jonah 1:15–16): With fear and reverence the sailors threw Jonah overboard, entrusting him to the sea and ultimately to God. This moment is painful and sacred.

This moment many families and churches must come to is one of surrender. Amazingly, that often seems to be what allows the remarkable to happen. The presence of addiction doesn’t have to destroy the addict’s community – it can awaken it. When we surrender the person we’re trying to save, we make space for God to move in both their life and ours.

Responding like Nineveh, not like Jonah

The Book of Jonah contrasts the stubborn prophet and the repentant city. Unfortunately, when it comes to addiction, many churches follow the bad example of Jonah rather than the good example of Nineveh.

Remember, Jonah didn’t want Nineveh to receive mercy. He wanted judgment. He wanted to keep grace for himself. Sometimes churches respond the same way to addiction. We’re uncomfortable. We don’t understand it. We don’t want it in our sanctuaries, small groups or leadership pipelines.

Here are some typical Jonah-style church reactions:

• Avoidance: We keep quiet about it from the pulpit. We pretend it’s not in our pews.
• Outsourcing: We refer people to secular rehab programs with no follow-up or discipleship.
• Spiritual bypassing: We say things like “Just pray about it” or “Let go and let God” without addressing trauma, accountability or emotional healing.
• Judgment and shame: We treat addiction like a moral failure instead of a soul wound. The result? People hide rather than heal.

A community of redemption

Nineveh, wicked as it was, repented, turned to God – and God relented. That’s the example from the story of Jonah our churches need to follow.

The Church must reclaim its place as a hospital for the broken, not a museum of the righteous. In the New Testament people came to Jesus messy, desperate and bound, and He never turned them away. Instead, He welcomed them.

Here’s what a church response to addiction looks like when it follows the examples of Jesus and, yes, of Ninevah:

• Create a culture of compassion. Speak openly about addiction from the platform. Acknowledge that believers struggle too. Normalize testimonies that include relapse, recovery and redemption.
• Train leaders to recognize and respond. Equip pastors, elders and lay leaders to identify signs of addiction, and respond with grace and wisdom. Host workshops with Christian recovery coaches or counsellors.
• Establish recovery-friendly ministries. Offer Christ-centred recovery programs such as Celebrate Recovery, Life Recovery Bible studies or other local partnerships. Launch small groups that are safe for those struggling with addiction, codependency or family trauma.
• Disciple the whole person. Don’t just focus on behaviour change – focus on heart change. Our behaviour won’t change until our beliefs change. Include recovery topics in discipleship, such as identity in Christ, renewing the mind, forgiveness, spiritual warfare and emotional regulation.
• Be in it for the long haul. Recovery isn’t linear. It’s messy. It takes time. Walk with people through setbacks without giving up on them. When I was quitting smoking, my pastor would say to me, “Jenn, keep quitting ’til you quit.” This encouraged me. He gave me hope to keep going. He was living out a theology of restoration, not just salvation.

When Jonah saw Nineveh repent, he got angry. “I knew you were a gracious and compassionate God,” he said bitterly (Jonah 4:2). Jonah was frustrated that God’s mercy extended to people he didn’t think deserved it.

 

But Jesus – He went further. He sat with sinners. He touched lepers. He embraced demoniacs. He restored broken people. The Church must choose – will we react like Jonah? Or respond like Jesus?

The gospel that restores

The Christian community is uniquely positioned to lead the way in redemptive ministry. Why?

We value community – and addiction recovery thrives in it.

We believe in justice and mercy – and both are needed for healing.

We have the freedom to speak – and must use that voice for those who feel voiceless.

Churches that engage the issue of addiction head-on will find open doors for ministry – not just within their walls, but also in their neighbourhoods, schools and even through government partnerships. Imagine your church being known not for what it condemns, but for who it restores.

Churches don’t need to wait for a perfect model or government initiative to begin. We need to remember the heart of the gospel – Jesus came for the sick, the lost, the addicted, the ashamed. And He still does.

We must be the voice that says, “You are not too far gone.” We must be the hands that reach out, even when the waters are rough. We must be the presence of Christ for those still in the belly of the fish.

The revival we long for may not come from the platforms we expect – it may rise from the recovery circles, the messy testimonies, the Jonah moments.

And when it does, may the Church be ready to receive it.

Grace in the depths

I’ll never forget the moment I realized Jonah’s story was my story. I wasn’t just reading Scripture – I was seeing my past, my descent, my rock-bottom moment in vivid detail. But I also saw what I had almost missed – the grace that swallowed Jonah wasn’t punishment, it was protection. The belly of the fish wasn’t the end of the story. It was the beginning of redemption. And it can be the beginning for someone else too.

Addiction is real. It’s messy. It’s painful. But it is not beyond the reach of God’s mercy – or the mission of His Church.

Addiction is not just a crisis to manage. It’s a mission to embrace. Addicted people are not projects – they are people made in the image of God, waiting to be welcomed, discipled and loved.

We don’t have to be experts to walk with the wounded. We have to be present. Open. Willing to see the person behind the pattern. Ready to listen. Bold enough to break the silence.

Believers struggling with addiction need to know – you are not disqualified. God still has a call on your life. He is not finished with you. Even if you’re in the depths right now, even if it feels like you’re surrounded by seaweed and shame, hear this – He sees you. And His grace goes deeper than your rock bottom.

The story of Jonah reminds us no one is too far gone. Rebellion can turn to surrender. Surrender can lead to restoration. The God who calms storms and calls prodigals home is still at work in the hearts of the broken.

Let’s be the kind of Church that doesn’t run from the storm, but runs toward the hurting with truth, love and relentless hope.

Jenn Dafoe-Turner of Cambridge, Ont., is a speaker, author and life coach (JennDafoe-Turner.com and FaithThroughHealing.com). Her latest book is Fear, Faith and Freedom: Breaking Through Life’s Battles with God’s Help (Abundance Books 2025). Illustrations by Daniel Crespo