When You've Tried Everything

#failure #giving-up #persevere #never-give-up

After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. Luke 5:4-6

Early in our ministry in Las Vegas, I came to the point of utter emotional and spiritual exasperation in my effort to find a place for our Church to meet. After endless attempts for over a year, meeting with store front owners, I had all but given up. I heard the Lord speak into my heart, “throw the net in one more time.” The next day I called on a property that the owner had intended to permit as a bar and who had turned me down several times. I was stunned when he did a complete turnaround and agreed to meet with me to show me the property. Within days, we had signed a lease and started making plans to build. It turned out that my greatest failure was only an opportunity for God to reveal his greatness and goodness to me.

In Luke 5:1-11 Jesus called his first disciples after they had fished all night and caught nothing. But the next day, at Jesus command to throw their net in one more time, they caught a great number of fish. So many fish, that two boats started to capsize and more boats had to be brought in. In seeing this miraculous catch, Peter was astonished, fell to his knees, and acknowledged his sin. Jesus said to Peter, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people."

There is often a bigger story going on in our failure that will bring us to the end of ourselves, to acknowledge our sin, re-discover God’s goodness, and call us out into deeper waters of faith and following him. This story forever illustrates that our failure is God's invitation to a new life in Christ that is characterized by supernatural abundance.

What do you need to do to throw the net in one more time? How is God revealing his greatness and goodness to you right now? What is holding you back from following Christ? Start by giving God everything, your failures, disappointments, and losses. Ask the Holy Spirit to deliver you from any fear and give you the courage to embrace this new life in Christ.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for revealing your goodness to me in the midst of failure. I stand in awe of your greatness and goodness, and give to you all of my failure and disappointments. I choose to listen to you and push out into the deeper waters beyond my failures to experience your power, love, and grace. Give to me the courage and strength to throw the net in one more time and follow Christ above all else.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Amen