“Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.”
A mantra that some friends and I have adopted this summer is just go. As we enter into busier seasons of work and life, we are making it our goal to step into adventure and opportunity as it presents itself. Whether this means a trip to get ice cream, a spontaneous hike or a drive across the country, we are making it our way to just go.
Although I'm not very detail oriented, the planner in me finds this hard. I often want a destination in mind, a goal to aim for or an objective to accomplish. To just go requires trust. I have to trust that because of who I am with, whatever unfolds will be a worthwhile adventure.
In Luke 5:1-11, we see Jesus calling his first disciples. After a great display of His power through a mighty catch, this rag-tag group of fishermen are so enamored with Jesus they "left everything and followed him" (verse 11). When He asked them to just go, they wholeheartedly stepped forward in trust.
In our lives, the Lord presents us with invitations to step deeper into trusting Him. I often find myself waiting for a sense of peace or security before doing new or scary things the Lord has for me. What I fail to recognize is that peace comes from trusting God. If we are searching for peace, we must first begin to trust.
Just like for the fishermen, trusting God often requires us to just go. They found themselves leaving behind everything they had ever known, and the road was not always easy. After a difficult teaching we see many followers of Jesus depart when discomfort set in (John 6). The disciples, however, knew the One with whom they were going. When asked if they were going to depart as well Peter responded with this:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
The disciples found peace once they decided to trust. What brought them through confusing and difficult times was the fact that they knew Jesus. They didn't know His plan or where He would take them next. They simply knew Him. How often do we want to know the plan before we decide to trust the person? God asks us to trust Him before we can see His plan unfold in our lives.
When I wait for the perfect opportunity, for peace before trust, I miss out on the adventure. I try to plan and control; to manage experiences, relationships and, ultimately, God. This leaves me longing for a more satisfying life. When I trust in the person of Jesus, I find peace every time. I find satisfaction. I find adventure. And when it is hard, because it will be, I rest knowing that He has the words of eternal life, and that is enough.
Where is the Lord inviting you to just go? Our faith is built on trusting in who He is, not knowing the details of His plan. If you find yourself having a hard time trusting Him, get to know Him better. We can't trust the plan when we don't know the person. As you seek the Lord today, ask Him where His adventure is found and when He reveals it to you, just go.
In Him,
Lis