Live Like Peter

The Bible story of Simon Peter and his brother meeting Jesus is one of my favorites. After a long night on the water, Peter didn’t think it was possible to catch anything. He tried everything, pulled out all the tricks he’d learned over the years, and still came home nothing. Because he was a fisherman by trade, he thought he knew more about fishing than Jesus. But instead of shrugging off Jesus’s suggestion that he try again or ignoring him, he said, let down the net one more time:

When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Push out into the deep water. Let down your nets for some fish.” Simon said to Him, “Teacher, we have worked all night and we have caught nothing. But because You told me to, I will let the net down.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish, their net started to break. (Luke 5: 4-6 NLV)

Due to the nature of my husband’s job as a college coach, our fate is usually determined by other people’s decisions and actions. We are often forced to change our path even when it isn’t part of our plan. At least once a year, we enter into a time known as “job season” when a domino effect of coaches getting fired and hired could possibly trickle down and affect our livelihood. Before I came to faith, it consumed my every thought and action. I thought I knew what would be best for my family and myself, so I focused solely on the outcomes I wanted. I always tried everything in my power to control the situation and get my way. But living like that felt forced and difficult. I was exhausted from constantly swimming upstream in my desired direction, and I often felt like I was navigating it all on my own.

Then I found faith. I realized that the God who knows the plans for me would be a much better guide. I just had to stop pushing back when God was doing all he could to guide me differently.

I have tried to spend the better part of the last decade living like Peter. Without knowing what an outcome would be, I started saying “But because You told me so” over and over again. When it was more practical (and less stressful) to turn left even though I thought turning right would be better, I turned left. When things started to fall seamlessly into place going north, even though I so desperately wanted to head south, I set my course for north.

I often wonder how Simon’s life would have turned out had he not followed Jesus’s instructions that day on his boat. He never would have become Peter, the rock on which the church was built. He never would have helped countless people let go and let God take over. He probably would have continued to struggle day in and day out, forcing his will and his way but making little to no progress on his path.

I don’t have to wonder what my life would look like had I not decided to follow God’s directions instead of my own. I have seen through other people—the ones who got the jobs that I wanted and thought were best—what would have happened, and it wasn’t good. They were used as scapegoats and thrown under the bus when seasons didn’t go well. They were forced to work harder and have to continually prove themselves worthy. In short, the paths I wanted to take would have been nothing short of turbulent and agonizing.

Since I started seeking a relationship with God, my first step is to ask for his advice in prayer instead of forcing my way. Whether it’s figuring out if we should stay or take a new job or which job of many to pick from, I pray for his input and then follow through when he gives it. This has given me peace in the middle of the chaos. Once I started inviting God into my decisions, I didn’t feel like I needed to be in control or know the details of the next chapter, because I do know how it will eventually end. I hand it over and trust that whatever details God is crafting will be better than anything I could do.

Most of us only think of God on Sunday mornings and/or in dire situations (when it’s become clear that we have absolutely no control over the outcome). But that’s not what he wants. God knows what is best for us in every situation, at every level, and in every aspect. Nothing is too small an issue to ask for his advice. But God gave us free will, too, so we don’t have to follow his way. He isn’t going to force us to take the path he lays before us. Neither will Jesus. He won’t keep you from bringing your boat back to shore. But if you are living like Peter, listening and willing, he will fill your nets to bursting.

Jess Gilardi was a mental health therapist in the school system before becoming the full-time chaos coordinator for her family (aka stay-at-home mom). She and her husband have three young kids. Jess started writing in hopes that by sharing her stories and lessons learned, she can help others learn “the easy way.”

Photograph © Engin Akyurt, used with permission