If you would like to extend this over a week, you can easily do one of the points each day of your devotion.  Here is a printable version.

Open your group with a prayer.
                                                                                                             
This is only a guide.  Pick and choose your points.
 
*  DISOBEDIENCE: JONAH 1:2

Jonah 1:1-2 - The word of the Lord  came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."

*  DISCIPLINE: JONAH 1:4-17

Jonah 1:9-12 - He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord , the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land." 10 This terrified them and they asked, "What have you done?" (They knew he was running away from the Lord , because he had already told them so.) 11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?" 12 "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you."

Question:  Has there ever been a time when you were willfully disobedient?   __________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
*  DISTRESS: JONAH 2:1

Jonah 2:1 - From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.
 
Question:  Has there ever been a time when God has got your attention. If so, would you be willing to share it?  ________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
We have the ability to CALL on God, the Creator of the universe.

*We all can call on Him, and He will answer.
 
Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Question:  How has Hebrews 4:16 helped you in your prayer life?  _____________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 Jonah 2:2 - In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
 
Distress means: The travail of childbirth or labor.
 
Grave means: Sheol
 
Question:  When you read the definition of “distress” and “Grave,” What does it tell us about God’s love for you and your access to him?  ______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
2.  God still did a MIRACLE..                                                
 
* God is ACTIVELY working, even though we are still in pain.

“Jonah, go.”  Jonah says, “No.”  Jonah gets on a ship.  Phase one, God sends a storm.  It doesn’t work.  Phase two, God sends the captain.  “You need to pray.”  Phase three, the sailors have mercy on him and don’t throw him overboard.  Phase four, when they do throw him overboard, God sends a fish.  Phase five, the fish gets a tummy- ache and throws him up onshore.  

All through this miracle, you can see different phases where God was working.  
 
Question:  Describe a time when God answered your prayer in phases?  ______________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
Jonah 2:3-6 - You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.' 5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God.
 

Never forget the “but, God,” MOMENTS.
 
Question:  Why do you think it’s important that we never forget the “but, God,” moments? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
3.  Painful events can cause us to REMEMBER and REFOCUS our spiritual life or walk away and become bitter toward God.  
 
Jonah 2:7 - When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.

Question:  Can you share a time when a painful experience caused you to remember God? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
Question:  Can you share a time when a painful experience caused you to become bitter toward God?  _____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jonah 2: 8 - Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

*Idols:  Prejudice and SELF
 
Question:  What idols might you be holding on to?  _____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jonah 2: 9 - But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD."
 
Question:  Can you think of something you vowed to make good with God and haven’t done yet?  _______________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

4.  When your life is spiritually refocused, your ONLY response will be, “Here is my life, now LORD, you take it”.

Question:  We always have areas to refocus in our spiritual life. Would you be willing to share areas that you are working on or need to work on?  _____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
Jonah 2:9-10 - But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD." 10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Question:  Have you ever thought that your breakthrough might be held up for your lack of willingness to obey God?  _________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________