“He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.” John 21:6 (NIV)
Each year as I hang a blank calendar in my kitchen, I think, This year will be different!
This will be the year I finally finish that house project, get healthier, pray faithfully, spend more time with friends, and so on. It will be better than last year. Right?
And yet by March (if I last that long), I’ve often given up.
I get so frustrated because I know how to do this stuff! I can paint a wall, take a walk, eat a vegetable, sit and pray, and schedule time with friends. But for some reason, I either stop trying or just keep making the same choices as before, expecting a different result.
I wonder if that’s how the disciples felt in John 21. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, they went to Galilee to wait for Him, and while they waited, they returned to their old lives: fishing. They knew how to fish, but that night they caught nothing.
Until Jesus stood on the edge of the lake. He gave them a simple instruction: “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some [fish]” (John 21:6a).
Scripture doesn’t record the disciples’ thoughts, but since they didn't recognize Jesus at first, I imagine they were confused and a bit annoyed at this advice. After all, they'd been doing everything they knew to do. Why should they keep trying? The fish obviously weren’t there!
Yet when they threw their nets in obedience to Jesus, they caught so many fish they were unable to haul them in.
This would have been a non-story had the disciples ignored Jesus’ suggestion to try again — His way. They could have insisted they already knew how to fish. Instead, they humbly listened and obeyed. The blessing of the fish was minor in comparison to seeing Jesus and His power at work in their lives again.
This passage encourages me to pause at the start of the new year. I’ve already proven I can’t do much in my strength. So instead of going back to my old ways, I want to stop and seek Jesus’ direction and help.
That’s when I’ll see the Lord work: When I admit my natural strength isn’t enough, God’s supernatural strength is evident.
So maybe this year can be different. Not because I’ve got a new game plan, brilliant strategy, or shortcut. Maybe the difference is simpler than that. I just need to wait on Jesus. In the big questions and problems and in everyday, seemingly mundane choices.
As the disciples learned, we are never far from success when we allow Jesus to direct our course.
Dear Lord, I’m so sorry I’ve lived much of my life guided by my own direction. You have always been there offering wisdom and power. I want to become a woman who looks to You first before trying harder in my own strength. I need Your help. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (NIV).
Ecclesiastes 7:8, "Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride" (NLT).
If you could snap your fingers and change one thing about your life, what would it be? (Something you can actually change — not like winning the lottery.) Why is it hard to make changes in this area of your life? List your reasons for resistance. Maybe even share them in the comments, and let’s pray for one another!
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