Go Deeper

"Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets and you will catch a lot of fish!"

--Luke 5:4

Today I had the opportunity to speak with a group of distributors from all over the country on the topic of overcoming adversity. During my prayer time earlier this morning I asked God to give me the words that would inspire the people on the call. I was doing a guided meditation on Luke 5: 1-11 and was sure that is what God wanted me to talk about. But God has his own plan and the talk went great but it had nothing to do with this scripture! Because I was so compelled by it, I decided to write about it here.

In the above scripture, after Jesus told Peter to put out into the deep, Peter was frustrated. He told the Lord that they had worked all night long and didn't catch a thing. But he said, "if you say so, we will try again." I have been in this position many times in my life. Most recently it has been around my career choices. Different roads I can take come up again and again and I feel like saying, "Lord, we've been down this road before. I have worked over and over at this type of thing and have gotten no results." He gently prompts me, "Go deeper." And inevitably I say, "If you say go deeper and try again, I will."

This is my act of faith, my act of fresh trust, my act of courage. Even though I think I already know what the result is going to be, I'm far from being correct. Like Peter, who was open to the idea, the nets they put out into the deep were overflowing with fish to the point of breaking. Another boat nearby had to go over and help and they both nearly sunk due to the overwhelming amount of fish. And I'm feeling the same abundance come into my life now because, once again, I'm open to the Lord's prompting, thereby being open to receive it.

Where in your life do you need to go deeper? What areas are you being called to in a deeper way? How best can you answer the Lord's call to you in this? When I think of my own answers to these questions I can't help but feel fear. And like Peter I don't feel worthy to be near the Lord like this. He told the Lord to depart from him because his sins were too great. That's how I feel. But the Lord's answer to him was, "Do not be afraid." Do not be afraid. Then Jesus gave him a part in his own mission of salvation: "From now on you will be fishing for the souls of men!"

As I go forward pondering how I can go deeper in my life I realize that no matter what I do, it will be part of God's mission of salvation. Because I belong to him and have given him my life, all I do will be for advancing the kingdom. The only question is, will I move forward in fear or in faith?

How about you?