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God is the original “hurler” in Jonah, not the fish. In verse 4 of chapter 1, God sees Jonah, in a boat that is manned by unsuspecting sailors. The prophet is attempting to run from the presence of the Lord. God resolves the issue by hurling a storm at the boat.

But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

How would the endangered men react to this mountainous hurling? Answer: by hurling. In verse five, the sailors all began to hurl their possessions overboard. We know that this crew of unbelievers are eventually led to worship God. Isn’t it interesting that in their initial encounter with calamity, they rid themselves of the things that would bring them down? They were set on preserving their life, no matter the cost.

Next, they try to solve the mystery of the hurled storm by hurling lots. “Lots” are a kind of dice that are meant to have some supernatural significance. In this case, God used their pagan castings to rightly identify Jonah as the cause.

The sailors perceived that the storm was from God. This probably assumes their tremendous skill as long-voyage mariners – they knew a supernatural storm from one that naturally rises from the ordinary course of the seas. Since they knew the storm was hurled at them, they also reckoned that it was on account  of someone’s sin. Therefore, they turned to the only supernatural means they had to solve a supernatural riddle.

Finally, Jonah asks the sailors to hurl him overboard. (v. 12) The sailors, unwilling to sin and incur a greater otherworldly wrath, were hesitant to do so. As a last resort they hurled Jonah into the water. (v. 15) They did the right hurling (the errant prophet) to counter the righteous hurling (the storm) of God. 
We can follow along the same path. When we perceive God’s hand around us, we can attempt to approach him with good works in order to save our skins. God cannot be appeased by our good works, even if we give our all to the poor. Look at these two passages in the New Testament:

1 Corinthians 13:3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Instead, we are to look to a supernatural source for the right response to the supernatural Creator of the universe. That one and only source is God’s Word, the Bible. It will clearly point you in the direction to approach to the awesome presence of God – repent and believe! (Mark 1:15) His grace is sufficient where our strivings fall short!