Frustrated?
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish (John 21:3-6)
How many of you have ever felt frustrated because of a broken dream? Or felt like a failure?
The disciples had watched Jesus crucified on a cross. And they had all run away in fear. Yes, they had witnessed that He had risen from the dead. He had appeared to friends and family. But they still felt very alone and confused. They don’t know what to do.
Peter and other disciples decided to go back fishing.
Whenever things don’t go the way we expect, we start taking matters into our own hands.
But that night they caught nothing. All night long, and nothing. Something is wrong!
Sometimes God takes us to the place where we cannot work it out on your own. When we are not where God wants us to be, there will be no results, no fish.
By morning, they were totally frustrated.
Jesus was walking by the beach. He asked them, “Children, haven’t you any fish?”
The answer they gave Jesus showed their frustration. They gave Him one word: “No.”
You also need to admit you are going nowhere. Your net is empty. We need to begin with confession, with admitting we are going in the wrong direction. Admitting failure and frustration is the beginning of the solution.
Once they admitted “no,” He gave them an answer, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”
Too many Christians are running in circles. They go up, down, up, down.
God is capable of calling the fish to come to you.
What they couldn’t do all night, God turned it around in the morning. The very place of your frustration, God is going to bless you right there. Don’t run from the problem, stay there God is going to turn it around from a place of frustration to a place of blessing.
Do you recognize God at work in your situation? It was the same Lord who had not allowed them to catch a thing all that night. He controlled the fish from swimming into the net the whole night. And He controlled the 153 that did swim into the net that morning. He is only one who knows where the fish are.
Actually where was Jesus all these while after His resurrection? He was with them all the time. He promised, I will be with you always. Do you see the Lord always with you?
God is calling you out of your frustration and giving you His blessings. He controls the hard times and the easy times. He is in control of the good and the bad. The problem with us is that we see God only when we see His blessing.
Would you say, all I want is Jesus, fish or no fish, blessing or no blessing.