I just finished reading a passage in Luke chapter five that I have always loved, but today, it really spoke to my heart. Luke 5:4-11 tells the story of an encounter between Jesus and Peter. Simon Peter and his companions had been fishing all night with no success and were on the shores of the lake cleaning their nets. Jesus used Peter’s boat as a platform to stand on as He spoke to the large crowd that had followed Him there. After the sermon, things got even more interesting.
Jesus told Peter to “put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch” (v.4). Peter responded by reminding Him that they had already worked hard all night and caught nothing but also added, “But at Your word” he would do it. They ended up catching so many fish that their boat nearly sank! Peter then fell down before Jesus, acknowledged his sinfulness, and left everything to follow Jesus. It was definitely a life-altering moment for Peter!
But what really spoke to me today as I read the familiar passage was Peter’s response. Due to things I’ve been struggling with lately, I could FEEL Peter’s response when he basically told Jesus, “I’m exhausted. I’ve tried but it didn’t work. I gave it my best, but I didn’t see any results. I’m exhausted, Lord.” My friend, I don’t know about you, but I am feeling what Peter was feeling in that moment. I am feeling the “I’m exhausted and what I hoped for hasn’t happened” thing.
Friend, I don’t know about you, but lately, I’ve been feeling what Peter was feeling in that moment. I’ve been feeling tired and exhausted and somewhat discouraged because I am not seeing results that I have been hoping for. I feel like I have been fighting through a long dark night and I haven’t seen the results I have been hoping for. Ready for some more honesty? Like Peter, I have been listening to Jesus. What I mean is that I have been in His Word, and I have been trying to listen to Him.
I’ve been listening to Jesus, but I confess I am struggling with the frustration of wanting to see some results to the prayers I have been praying. I feel like I am sitting on the shores of the sea and the answers I long for are still out there somewhere. This is why this passage hit me so hard when I read it today. I truly felt the exhaustion and frustration Peter must have felt. But I love the rest of Peter’s response. You see; Peter didn’t stop with expressing how he felt.
Peter told Jesus exactly how he felt but then said something truly remarkable. He said, “But at Your word” I’ll do it. He was saying, “Lord, I’m tired and exhausted, but at Your word, I’ll do what you want me to do.” Oh, friend, how this spoke to my heart! He was saying, “I’m exhausted and frustrated, but I’m going to choose to obey Your word. I’m going to let Your Word direct my steps. I’m going to choose to respond to Your Word instead of my feelings.”
Oh, dear heart, does this speak to you like it does to me? What is your “I’m tired and exhausted, but at Your Word, I will…”? What is your, “I’m disappointed, but at Your Word, I will…”? What is your, “It hasn’t happened yet, but at Your Word, I will…”? If we’re being honest, I bet we all have something that comes to mind. We all have something that causes us to relate to this passage. The question we must ask ourselves is this. Will we, like Peter, choose to respond to His Word instead of our feelings?
I’ll be honest and admit that this has hit a little too close to home for me. It has completely stepped all over my toes! Since I have already been quite honest with you, I might as well go all in. I have not felt good in a LONG time and lately, it has really been getting to me. I am tired of feeling this way and I am discouraged because I have not seen any improvement. I also have something that is weighing so heavy on my heart that I am usually only one step ahead of full-blown anxiety.
The weight of the concern over this specific situation is so heavy that it takes every ounce of strength I have left to not give in to the fear it causes. I want so badly for this situation to change and get better. I pray daily for the miracle I long to see happen in this situation. These are just two of the things that are adding to the exhaustion and frustration I have been feeling lately. Like Peter, I have a choice to make, and the truth is that I want to make the right one.
I want to make the choice that Peter made. I want to say that I will choose His Word over my feelings. I want to learn to put aside how I feel and what my circumstances are telling me and choose to act on His Word instead. May I tell you a secret? Life works better when I do. You see; I am already seeing the truth of this in my own life. That heavy burden that weighs so heavily on my heart and mind… the only way I stay ahead of the anxiety is by choosing to cling to His Word.
It isn’t easy, but I am learning that if I will choose His Word instead of my feelings, I am able to keep pressing on without giving in to the fear and anxiety. Beloved, we need to learn to say, “I’m choosing Your Word over my feelings” if we want to experience His peace. By the way, I find it very encouraging that when Peter decided to press past his feelings and at the word of Jesus, do what He was asking him to do, he saw and experienced Jesus in a way he never expected.
When Peter pressed beyond what his feelings were telling him and made the choice to listen to the Word of God instead, he saw a miracle that changed his life. Beloved, who knows what awaits us if we will but decide to press past our exhaustion and disappointment. Who knows what awaits us if we will but decide to press beyond our feelings and choose to listen to His Word instead. At the very least, I believe we will experience Jesus in a whole new way as we walk in obedience to His Word.
Dear heart, I hope that you have been encouraged today as we have looked at this passage. I hope that you have been challenged to look beyond your feelings and circumstances and choose to look to His Word instead. I hope you have been encouraged to keep pressing on and believing for your answer to the prayer that you have been praying. And I hope that you will soon experience the joy of seeing and experiencing Jesus working a miracle in your life, my friend. He is able!
(See also Psalm 119.)
Katrina Douglas
6/16/2022
