Life Interrupted

Day 14

Lesson: Your Place of Failure, Your Place of Triumph

Luke 5:1–11

I

was employed and lost my job due to layoffs, as the organization was under new management and my position was no longer relevant. This led me to start writing and blogging. I was figuring out life, and then something happened: the new company called me back to work. I was called back to work and placed in a totally different position than I had been before, and I had to start all over again. At first, I grappled with the idea of going back. I expressed the struggle in my heart to God and also shared it with several of my close friends. While I was sharing with one of them, she quietly reminded me of something I had shared with her months before from Luke 5. Little did I know that the story I had shared, along with its revelations, would now be used back on me.

In the story, the disciples, being fishermen at the time, were busy washing their nets and probably contemplating their disappointment after they had toiled all night and caught nothing. This must have been really hard, as this was their livelihood. For those people who have spouses and children, it would be difficult to go to work and then come home and tell your family you received no salary. This is a picture of how these guys probably felt, having to go home with nothing.

While they were washing their nets, Jesus stepped into the boat without them even realizing, until He asked Peter to push the boat a little from the shore. I believe it is significant and can be compared to Jesus Christ showing up in our situation, but because we are so busy focusing on the failure, we do not realize immediately that He is there. Jesus stepping in created an opening to change their situation. It is the same with me receiving the call to go back to work. It created another opportunity for God’s glory to be seen through me. Having spent an entire night, probably getting little or no sleep and still coming up empty-handed, they must have felt truly exhausted, frustrated, distracted, and disappointed.

In spite of this, Jesus Christ asked Peter and the others to do something, to test their obedience. He asked them to cast down the nets once again. He wanted to test what was in their hearts. It took great humility and obedience for them to do this once again. I have learned obedience and humility too in going back to work and starting all over again. Jesus Christ knew from the very foundation of the earth that fishing was not the purpose for Peter and the others. They were created to be apostles, and He knew this. Jesus Christ also knew that where they were headed required humility, obedience, and faith, so He used this example to build these characteristics in them. Where you are now is not necessarily the purpose He created you for, but it is a purpose within your very purpose, to get you to where He can fully use you. He reminds us not to despise small beginnings. Joseph was in the luxury of his father’s house; then he lost it all when he was sold as a slave by his own brothers. How awful he must have felt to move from comfort to discomfort. However, it was being in slavery that ensured that he fulfilled his purpose of saving Israel and other nations in the time of famine. All things truly work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. God has to prepare us for where He is taking us, but we have to act in obedience, casting down our nets again even when we feel ridiculous or frustrated like the disciples.

He urged the disciples to launch out into the deep and let down their net. So it is the same with us. He not only wants us to go back to our place of failure, but in doing so, He is asking us to take a big risk. God wants us to go back to the place of failure, and He wants great faith to be exercised. It is the place of failure because the disappointment was great, but this occurred so that the triumph would be even greater. So there I was going back to the place where I lost my job, to work again, starting all over. I was willing to be obedient and humble while watching God’s plans for my life unfold. Once we are sure it is God giving a directive, we have to get past what people will think and say and just do what He says. Even though the disciples had toiled all night and caught nothing, which Peter made sure he told Jesus, he also said at His word he would let down the net again. The disciples obeyed, and they experienced the abundant blessings of trusting and listening to the voice of God. They caught so many fish that the net could not contain.

Week 2

Action Plan

Identify the areas in your life that you need to work on in accordance with the material that was covered in week 2.

Continue to press into all that God has for you