The perseverance of Peter, the fisherman.
by Daniel Flores
One night, Simon Peter was determined to fish by the Lake of Gennesaret, near where he lived. So he prepared his nets and boat and went fishing. Perhaps he told his wife to be ready to cook the fish when he returned.
Peter entered the water and cast the net for the first time, hoping to catch a fish. But the empty net proved he would have to cast it again.
Determined, Peter cast the net a second time, and the result was the same: No fish. He no doubt was a persevering man, as he cast the net for another hour and still caught no fish. Perhaps the thought crossed his mind that he mustn’t return home empty-handed. What example would he set for his family?
So for the next few hours, Peter continued the same exercise with the same result until he finally said, “One last time. If we don’t catch anything, we’ll go home.”
Tired, he had to take out the boat and wash the nets before returning home without any fish.
But Someone was passing by who would teach Peter a lesson that would serve him for the rest of his life: that true perseverance for a disciple begins by hearing and obeying the Word of God.
Jesus’ word
The Lord was also by the Lake of Gennesaret, and a crowd gathered to hear Him. He got into Peter’s boat and asked Peter to put out a little farther from land so He could teach from there. Peter obeyed, even though he was ready to go home without a single fish.
After speaking to the crowd, Jesus gave Peter a specific instruction: “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4).
Peter, tired and perhaps discouraged after a fruitless night, responded, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net” (v. 5).
This moment marks the beginning of a lesson about perseverance that would transform the lives of Peter and those around him. He was no doubt a hard worker, as it takes determination to try all night doing the same thing over and over. But he needed to listen to Jesus and obey Him to have an abundant catch.
Luke 5 shows us the surprising results of Peter’s obedience: “They caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking” (v. 6). The same net Peter had washed was now breaking. Perhaps he would no longer need it for that work. Now he would dedicate himself to another type of fishing: for men (v. 10).
Trust and obey
This act of obedience reflects the importance of persevering, even when our own strength and experience tell us it’s not worth trying.
Perseverance is not just about effort but about trusting in Jesus’ voice that there is a greater purpose, even if we cannot immediately see it. Peter didn’t know that this act of faith would lead to a miracle that would change his life.
Sometimes in our own lives, we face times when it seems our efforts are in vain, but Luke 5:1-11 reminds us to keep going, trusting that the results will come at the right time.
When Peter and his companions obeyed Jesus and cast their nets into the sea, the catch was so abundant that the nets began to break. They filled two boats to the point they almost sank. This miracle demonstrates not only the power of Jesus but also the reward of perseverance in listening to the voice of the Lord.
Failure to abundance
We are like Peter. How many times have you tried to save your marriage? How many years have you spent attempting to overcome that sin that has dominated and discouraged you? Have you tried repeatedly to discipline your children, but without success? Have you longed to be a better father or mother, but you continue to fail your family? How many times have you tried to motivate the church to evangelize, disciple, change attitudes, or help others, but without seeing results?
The fruits of perseverance may not be immediate or evident in our lives, but this passage calls us to believe that even when we are already washing our nets or about to withdraw without success, hearing and obeying the word of God brings blessing. Peter and the other fishermen went from a night of failure to a morning of abundance, thanks to their willingness to try once more — not in their own strength, but in Jesus’.
That morning, more people were in the boat with Peter. The catch belonged to everyone, and in the face of what happened, everyone was afraid. But only Peter fell to his knees before Jesus and acknowledged his own unworthiness: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (v. 8). If you have already washed your nets and given up, listen to the voice of Jesus today and obey His word. With a good and upright heart, hold fast to it.
