John 21:3 —”‘I’m going out to fish,’ Simon Peter told them, and they said, ‘We’ll go with you.’ So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.”
We have so many plans for ourselves:
– declutter the house for minimalism
– go back to college and finish to graduate
– update skills to upgrade to the job we love
– sort out our things and give to the people who really need
– sit with children and teach them one new concept or skill a day
– begin a workout routine to follow everyday for 6 months
– spend more intentional and scheduled time in prayer
– visit all the local friends at least once a year
We start by writing out and planning some goals. But try as we might with our might, we may end up following the process or tasks for a couple of months before we slack or stop doing it completely. We may have got so frustrated because we knew how to do this stuff; maybe not perfectly, but we could do the tasks: eat less, pray, and schedule time with friends. It is no biggie.
But … we stopped trying or we continued to make the same choices as before and expected a different result!?
Why does this happen?
Because we thought of the plan or idea. We set it up. We worked with our might.
Where was Jesus in all of this? Did we remember to pray before we started? Did we commit our works and plan to God? Did we speak to God and check what He wanted for us?
When Jesus told the disciples “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some” (John 21:6a), the disciples could’ve ignored the instruction. But humility persevered and brought its consequence of immediate reward. The blessing of the fish was minor in comparison to seeing Jesus and His power at work in their lives again. Imagine then – if we go to God for our every move, to know His will and abide in Him, to seek God and to trust God, what could be in store for our lives?
1-But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (Matthew 6:33-34)
2- And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey. (Luke 17:6)
3- If we commit our ways unto the Lord and also trust in Him, He shall bring it to pass (Psalms 37:5)
4- We can do all things in Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13)
We must learn to go to God. Lean on Him. Listen to Him. Let go our control of the situation and ideas. Don’t go back to our old ways; stop and seek Jesus’ direction and help.
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”(2 Corinthians 10:5)
Then when we look back on our lives, those will be times when Lord’s work will be the greatest ways. When we admit our natural strength isn’t enough, God’s supernatural strength will be evident. All we need to remember is:
– to obey God’s will in humility,
– to stay in integrity while applying His Word in our lives, and
– to be generous with His love, mercy, and kindness to all.
And then, like the disciples, we will have ‘caught so many fish they were unable to haul in their nets.’ God will bless our obedience, humility and integrity with fruits of His Spirit in our lives.
(John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”)
