“Try again!” Ann screamed as she waited for the last four digits to process.

“I am sorry, Ma’am, but your passport has not been processed as of today,” the gentle voice said on the phone.

“There must be some mistake,” Ann exclaimed. She had expected her passport to arrive a week ago, and she needed it to go to Morocco for a wedding, which was in three weeks. She felt the passport couldn’t come quickly enough.

“I can put a rush order on it for you,” the representative replied.

Ann’s frustration grew and for the right reason. She had missed her girl’s trip to Aruba because of a passport delay. “I knew this was going to happen. I don’t even know why I tried,” she mumbled.

“Let me try something else. Do not lose hope, Ms. Taylor,” the representative said in a calm voice. “We’ll get this worked out; I promise.”

A little too late for that, Ann thought. She felt excitement fade and disappointment grow.

Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing but I will do as you say and let down the net.“

~Luke 5:5 NASB

Does God care about the insignificant details of our lives? Does He care about our disappointments? 

Simon Peter had fished all night but caught nothing. Being a fisherman by trade, every night counted. Simon was no doubt frustrated as he sat in his boat, scouring an empty net again, cleaning it of debris, but finding not a single fish. He must have felt like a failure.

Jesus came to the same shore where Simon worked. Simon does not know it yet, but he was about to encounter something that would change his situation entirely. Jesus asked Simon to allow Him to use his boat to teach offshore. Simon agreed and pushed the boat a little way from the shoreline.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

~Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB

Many of us find ourselves in a similar predicament. Disappointment sets in as it did for Peter. We expect the Lord to do something about our situation, but He doesn’t. He asks us to do something for Him first.  

We can become so focused on our situation that we forget who is with us. Jesus knows what we need, but we can become self-centered. Sometimes, the familiarity of what we experience distracts us from the possible if we trust Jesus with our whole heart.

Peter decided to trust and go beyond the emotions that had welled within him. After Jesus preached, He said, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4b NKJV). Simon had been fishing all night, but the Son of God asks him to go through the process again. There is that ugly word we do not like: process. The process is where we grow and learn to trust God. Jesus can give us hope during times of uncertainty, along with a willingness to try again.

The Lord pivots a situation that looked hopeless into bliss as Simon lets down his net and makes a miraculous catch. He catches so many fish that he must ask for assistance from his partners. The process Jesus takes Simon through changes the trajectory of the story because Simon chose to trust Jesus.

Jesus then tells Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on, you will catch men” (Luke 5:10b NKJV). This launches him into the ministry.

This miracle repeats itself after the Lord’s resurrection. Simon was so discouraged that he left the ministry and returned to fishing. Catching nothing, Jesus tells him to try again, and he caught 153 fish. Simon recognized Jesus was still caring about every detail of his life.

Friend, when we allow Jesus to change our mindset so we walk in true faith, major paradigm shifts occur. Let’s fish with the greatest Fisherman and trust Him with our life. Through every season of life–both good and bad–the Lord is there. We must try again at the Master’s call. 

Is Jesus stretching your faith to believe in something that is beyond the ordinary? Will you trust Him and try again?

Father God, I have been afraid to trust certain situations to You. I have held myself back from receiving Your best for my life because of anxious thoughts. Help me to trust You with the process so You can bring my life to a place of fulfillment. Forgive me for placing my needs before Yours. Search my heart and help me to move from where I am to where You want me to be.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Genre: Opening example, Fiction; body, Non-fiction

Copyright 2021: Hope in the “Try Again”: Charles E. Maldon, Jr.: All Rights Reserved