I am not good at waiting. Yet, there have been seasons in my life when I have been forced to wait. I always wonder during these times, is God trying to teach me something by making me wait? Is He testing my faith?
For example, as a young manager, I did everything possible to get promoted. I thought I was more than qualified and ready. Even with all the right words from my boss saying it would happen, I had to wait another year before the promotion came.
On a personal front, there was the time when Barb and I were working with an agency to adopt our first child. We completed all the paperwork for the adoption from one country. Suddenly, without notice, that country closed its adoption network, and we had to start the process all over again. We had to wait another year before our son Justin arrived!
There have been many times like these in my life. Times when I had to wait because the situation was out of my control. I asked, “Why, God, is this happening to me? Are you trying to teach me something during this time of waiting? Are you testing my faith?”
I bet you have also had to wait through situations in your life that were out of your control, and you may have asked yourself the same questions.
There was a time when Jesus asked the disciples to wait, and in this story, there are several lessons for us.
Jesus Asks the Disciples to Wait
After His resurrection, the Gospel of Matthew records Jesus telling the disciples to leave Jerusalem and go to Galilee and wait for Him there (Matthew 28:10). We aren’t told exactly when. Still, at some point after this, the disciples packed up and walked the nearly 100 miles from Jerusalem to Galilee.
Once in Galilee, the disciples had nothing to do but wait for Jesus’ promised arrival.
While they were waiting for Jesus to arrive, Peter and seven of the disciples decided to go fishing (John 21). They fished all night but didn’t catch a thing. As dawn was breaking, the disciples saw a man standing on the shore, but they didn’t realize it was Jesus. Jesus called out to them, asking if they caught anything, and when they said they hadn’t, Jesus told them to cast their net on the other side of the boat.
The disciples complied, casting the net on the boat’s other side, and this time they succeeded. They caught 153 fish! At this moment, John recognized Jesus, and impulsive Peter jumped out of the boat and swam to shore to greet Jesus. The rest of the disciples rowed to shore dragging the net full of fish behind them.
Upon arriving on shore, they cooked and ate a few fish with some bread.
Lessons from Waiting That Test Our Faith
Six critical lessons apply to us today in this story of the disciples fishing in Galilee.
1. Waiting
Jesus told the disciples to go ahead of him to Galilee and wait for Him there (Matthew 28:10). He didn’t say how long He would be or what they should do while they were waiting. Waiting will test our faith.
Lesson for Us
Waiting is hard, especially when circumstances are out of our control. Satan is quick to fill our minds with doubts as we second guess our course of action during a time of waiting. Does God want me to do this? After a while, we may even wonder if God has forgotten about us!
2. Working
Since Jesus didn’t say how long they would have to wait or what to do when they got to Galilee, the disciples followed Peter’s suggestion to go fishing. First, they needed to feed themselves, and second, if Jesus didn’t appear quickly, they needed an income source to provide for themselves.
Once Peter suggested the fishing trip, seven disciples joined him in the boat, and they worked diligently fishing all night long.
Lesson for Us
Whether the wait is a few hours or a few days, nothing is gained by sitting around idle, or worse, having a pity party for yourself because you must wait. When you find yourself in a time of waiting, get busy and be productive.
3. Failure
Several disciples were professional fishermen. I don’t imagine throwing even a large net in the water takes much time. However, it takes a lot of effort to haul it back in, gather it up and throw it out again. The disciples must have completed this task of gathering the net and throwing it out dozens of times throughout the night without success. They must have been exhausted by morning. Failure will test our faith.
Lesson for Us
Failure is a part of everyday life. No matter how much expertise and skill you have, sometimes, all your best efforts will not be met with success. The most important thing for the diligent Christian to remember is that we must be persistent and not give up. Our labor for the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
4. Confession
Still a shadowy figure in the morning midst, Jesus called out to the men 100 yards or so from shore, asking if they had caught anything. They confessed they had not. Of course, Jesus knew they had caught nothing, but He asked them anyway. The honest response of the disciples opened the door for Jesus to fill their needs.
Lesson for Us
Amid failure, we must recognize our failure and confess our dependence on God.
5. Obedience
As soon as the disciples admitted their failure, Jesus issued a command combined with a promise. He told them to cast their net on the other side of the boat and promised they would catch fish (John 21:6). To a group of professional fishermen who had toiled all night without success, they must have wondered what difference it would make to throw the net on the other side of the boat. Nonetheless, the disciples cast their net on the other side of the boat.
Lesson for Us
No matter how unusual, simple, or even trite the request may seem, obedience to the Lord is required if we expect to enjoy His blessings.
6. Success
As soon as the disciples cast their net on the other side of the boat, they realized they had caught a large number of fish. The catch was so heavy they couldn’t even haul it into the boat; they had to tow it to shore!
Lesson for Us
Success beyond our wildest imaginations comes when we are faithful and trust in the Lord.
Here, the disciples did what Jesus told them; they were productive while waiting, confessed their failure, and obeyed Jesus’ instructions. It was only then that they experienced God’s blessing.
God will not do for us that which we can do for ourselves. In life, we must endure periods of waiting while doing what we can as we trust in God to bless those who put their faith in Him.
More Articles
I have written many articles on obedience to God. You can find them by typing “Obedience to God” in the search bar. Meanwhile, here are several of my favorites.
- #493: Do You Have the Right Answer to This Important Question?
- #475: Does the Bible Call Us to Balance or Obedience?
- #426: Fulfill the Will of God by Taking the First Step
- #423: The Three Most Common Excuses Leading to Failure
- #385: Is the Path You Are on the Right One?
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. What lessons have you learned or blessings have you received through a period of waiting?
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Category: Personal Development | Obedience to God
