How's that working for ya?

That’s the main question in the book, When Your Way Isn’t Working by Kyle Idleman, a book I highly recommend if….

…you’ve been trying something for days, weeks, months, or years and it just isn’t working.

…when you’ve tried everything you know to do and it just isn’t working.

…when you’re facing an obstacle and there seems no way around, over, or under, a molehill that has become a mountain, or a problem that has become a way of life instead of something that can be overcome.

…when on the outside you say that everything is “super”, or “great”, or “supergreat”, but on the inside you know you’re faking it. And that’s an everyday occurrence.

…when you’ve grown FRUSTRATED, DISCOURAGED, FATIGUED, AND/OR ANXIOUS and those feelings have become a constant in your life instead of a passing thing.

What do you do when your way isn’t working?

If you want to really dive into that question, I really recommend that you read the book.

Until then, here is a sample of the answer you will find, and it’s in an event in the life of Jesus.

Luke, Chapter 5, Simon whom Jesus would later nickname, Peter – the Rock, has been out fishing all night with his friends/business partners, and they’ve caught nothing. Jesus picks out Simon’s boat and asks him to put it out onto the lake so Jesus can teach from there using the natural acoustic properties of the water.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” - Luke 5:4, 5

And what happened next was a great lesson for Simon and for us. Simon and his friends/business partners did just what Jesus said. They put out their nets one more time, and the catch of fish nearly tore the nets, and then filled up the one boat and then the next. It was an overflowing experience.

That day, Simon came to know who Jesus really was. Master – the One who rules. The One I recognize as having the answers I need. The One who is bigger than anything I face.

The night before they had fished all night and had caught nothing. They were fisherman, real fisherman who had done it all their lives. Their ways had worked until they didn’t.

You can almost hear the skepticism, the discouragement, the hesitation in Simon’s reply… we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing!

It’s like when we pray these prayers….

Jesus…  I’ve tried and tried to get my husband to change…

Jesus…  I’ve tried and tried to get my wife to change…

Jesus…  I’ve tried and tried to get my children, my boss, my students, situation, my health, my emotions to change…

Jesus…  I’ve tried everything I know.

Jesus…  I’m getting tired, discouraged, worn out, weary, anxious, and I don’t know what to do.

We’ve all been there at some point.

Simon was able to do see God at work because… 1. Jesus was now in the boat. All the other times, it was just them doing things the way they always did 2. He did what Jesus told him even though he was tired, discouraged, worn out, weary, and anxious….

“But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”

But if you say so… One word from Jesus made what looked impossible, possible and one action from Simon and his friends/business partners made the whole scenario different.

Simon did what Jesus asked even though based on his experience it would not work.

However, when push came to shove, it was Jesus’ way that worked.

“Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” 

Go where it is deeper. That took effort and obedience and faith, and from that point onward, Simon began to follow Jesus in a deeper way, slowly becoming the person Jesus saw him to be, the Rock.

Surrender to Jesus is going deeper. Deciding to do it His way is going deeper. Doing what He asks, even when it seems like it won’t work based on our circumstances or experience is going deeper.

There’s a lot more in the book. This is just a sample, so if you’re intrigued, be willing to go a little deeper, read the book, and see what God says to you through it.

Or maybe, you already know what you have to do. Jesus has already spoken, but you’re looking for a way out or a simpler way then going out to where the deep waters are.

To find new results, you need to try a new way.

What is Jesus saying to you? Do that… and then you’ll have a different answer to the question…

“How’s that working for ya?”