God Turns Failure Around

“He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.

But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

Luke 5:3-5

 

Wait, listen and respond.

Three activities you can engage in when you fail.

Peter, as we reviewed yesterday, had failed the previous night at his livelihood.

An empty boat, an empty stomach and an empty wallet was all he could show for his night of fishing.

Then, to top it all off, he had to wait patiently as this new preacher in town delivered his message.

Peter knew how long-winded preachers can be.

This one was different though.

He spoke with such clarity and such authority that Peter really had no issue with the waiting and the listening part.

It was the responding part that challenged him.

But respond he did and the catch was one for the record books.

What do you do when you fail?

Do you wait or do you run and hide?

Do you listen or are you engaged in damage control?

Do you respond or do you chuck it all and give up?

Oh, let me mention one more essential ingredient.

It’s not simply waiting, listening and responding.

It is waiting, listening and responding to God.

The catch didn’t just happen to be where it was when it was for Peter’s nets to snag it.

The catch of a lifetime was there at the command of God.

The one who had failed would learn to wait, listen and respond to God.

In doing so, he positioned himself in the center of Gods’ will for his life.

It did more than change his profession.

It changed his eternity.

Have you failed?

Maybe you have failed miserably and are ready to run, whine and give up.

Instead wait, listen and respond to God.