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.” (John 21:3)
After the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead, He appeared to several women. He told them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” (Matthew 28:10).
The disciples had done exactly that. In the meantime, they had also seen Jesus themselves when He appeared to them in a house. But Jesus did not remain with them. He came only occasionally. The disciples had to learn how to live with Him without His physical presence among them.
While waiting, a group of the disciples returned to their former occupation as fishermen. Yet despite their many years of experience, they caught nothing throughout the entire night. How frustrating that must have been! After hours of hard work, they had not caught a single fish.
The same experience can occur when you are a “fisher of men.” You obey Jesus’ command to tell others about Him. You do your best to explain the gospel. You try to persuade people to give their lives to Jesus and put their faith in Him. But nothing happens. You labor and struggle without seeing any visible results. And Jesus Himself seems far away…
Can you identify with these disciples? How do you respond when your work for God appears to bear no fruit?
Image by Lumo Project Films – www.lumoproject.com.