“Try again!”

My son has a favorite book and a favorite story that he asks me to read him frequently. This story in particular is a little paraphrase of John 21:3-6 and Luke 5:4-6; where Jesus tells the fisherman to put their nets out again after working hard and catching nothing. Today for some reason this story struck me in a new way. The paraphrase tells how the fisherman caught nothing and that a man called from the shore and said "Friends, try again!". Of course when they tried again they caught more fish than their nets could hold… This got me thinking. How often do we do things without success and simply walk away with no result? Maybe the key is to "try again!". How often are we discouraged that the result is not what we had hoped? Maybe the key is to "try again!".

As I looked up the verses in John it reflects Jesus telling the fisherman to throw their net on the other side of the boat. Now human logic would say I have fished all night here on this side of the boat with no results what difference will it make to move over the width of my boat to try it again??? Here is the interesting thing; sometimes just a few degrees will make all of the difference we need. Maybe our "try again" needs to have a slight course adjustment. What course adjustments is God trying to instruct us on that we need to listen to and obey? It could be ever so slight, but it could change everything! With my fertility struggle it was to take a leap of faith and change doctors by going to a new doctor not covered by our insurance and of course the story that follows was success for us and a growing family…

I also looked up the verses in Luke that reflects the weariness of the fisherman but also reflects their obedience to instruction. This portion of scripture is where Simon explains how they worked all night without success but it also says in spite of that I will do as you say Lord, because you are saying it. How often do we feel weary and give up? How often does it feel too difficult to continue in the face of seemingly poor results? Maybe the key is this simple obedience in the face of our weariness, trusting God that as we "try again" the result will be abundantly successful.

Ultimately I have been refreshed with the blessing of my sons favorite little story book! Today I have learned that often I need to "try again", that I need to be on the lookout for the slight course adjustments that God is leading me to make, and that simple obedience in the face of weariness is ever so crucial! I am encouraged today to not grow weary while doing good. I am encouraged that God is always faithful and that He is helping me be faithful too.