Having lived and worked and saved up north, it was time to move the family back to Perth in 1996. I found a good job reasonably quickly, and so we found ourselves in this new season of life, making a transition - new home, new job, new life. Transitions are not always easy. My work transition was tough.
Working for a chemical manufacturer on the Kwinana strip I was involved in an Emergency Response Team. If there were emergencies like fires and injuries, we would rush off and respond. We also responded to offsite emergencies, which involved recovering dangerous chemical spills.
One of the unfortunate things about my life at that time was my working relationship with two of my peers, who just happened to have a lot of influence in the Emergency Response Team.
One day when I was at training - we conducted training drills every fortnight - I was asked if I wanted to have a turn at operating a magnetic base drill. Well, I'd operated magnetic based drills for years, so I declined, saying, "I've done it a thousand times." Then I just heard these two guys sniggering... "did you hear him, he's done it a thousand times!"
As soon as I said it, I knew, "What did I say that for?" My two harassers were onto me, and so I defended myself, and that tiny little event became the cause of much anxiety in me, as we were about to do a week-long exercise in Kalgoorlie - I wouldn't be able to get away from these two for a week!
As I think back to that time, I feel for the anxiousness I experienced.
Have you ever experienced something like this in your own life? A time when, with family, or with friends, or at work, when something you said was either incorrect, came out wrong, or was said at just the wrong time? Maybe when you were young when you were at school, as a youth, or possibly more recently?
Have you had that internal dialogue with yourself, berating yourself for having done something regretful? Talking with yourself even when you don't realise you're even doing it. The effect, anxiety. It stays with you and takes your peace. And there's anxiousness for what this tiny little event has done to the relationship. We might say, "How am I ever going to fix this?" "How will I ever stop doing these things?"
It's a time when we're literally feeling tormented, and we cannot escape the situation nor ourselves. Sleep feels hopeless, as we lie awake thinking hard about what to do. Just hurts to be alive.
When we can feel our circumstances will never change, that we've ruined things indefinitely, and feel immobile and constantly overwhelmed in lament.
Consumed in fear. Fearful lament for what occurred, and anxiousness about what the future holds, as well as how we're going to fix this.
What do we do?
From this situation of regret and self-condemnation we come to Peter, or Simon Peter as he was then, on the Sea of Galilee. He was tired from having fished all night with his partners James and John. They were all tired. They hadn't caught a thing.
But the fact that their catch was non-existent, that they would have nothing to trade with, that he was feeling desperately hungry... that wasn't Peter's real problem. No, he soon had bigger worries.
We could be forgiven for imagining Peter thinking, Lord, You're a carpenter, I'm the fisherman, and we've been out at the best time of day and caught nothing... and You think we might net some fish now? BUT, I respect You, and I'll do what You say even if I think it's not such a good idea.
Let's read about Peter's situation from the Bible, if you have your Bible with you, open up to Luke chapter 5. If not please look to the screens as we read through the text.
And let's enter the situation where Simon Peter finds himself, again, in an awkward position, having said something that he thinks is silly.
Now, with this context of feeling like a failure in place, let's dive into the text of Luke chapter 5.
I'm hoping to show an important principle where Jesus converts fear into something abundantly useful.
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.
2 He saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"
9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people."
11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Now, I want us to focus on the conversation between Jesus and Simon Peter.
Verse 4. What is Jesus up to? Surely Jesus knows that Simon Peter and his friends have been out all night and that they've caught nothing. Surely, He knows they're tired. He must know they're discouraged.
Verse 5. It seems clear that Jesus' request of Peter catches him off guard. It might be that Peter, being a fisherman, has forgotten for a moment Who Jesus is, thinking Him to be a carpenter. Many things the Lord asks us to do can catch us off guard, too. But Peter is compliant in every way but for the fact he tells his Lord what his Lord already knows. Jesus knows they caught nothing. So why is He taking them out? Sometimes we can feel, too, as if God is asking of us the impossible.
Verse 6. A miracle takes place in that the catch of fish is bigger than ever before. It's as if all the fish were sucked into the exact vicinity of the boat. Why the miracle? Jesus can't just be showing off. He never does anything without its purpose. The next verse is our clue... watch for Peter's reaction.
Verse 8. Peter is overwhelmed in two ways, firstly in awe of the miracle Jesus has just performed, then simultaneously, he is overawed with shame for having doubted the Lord. There is a dual sense of awestruck wonder, yet of self-condemnation as Peter realises he doubted His Lord. He knows straight away, "I put my foot in it."
Verse 10. Jesus' response is remarkable. No judgment nor any condemnation. No lingering on Peter's doubting. Jesus doesn't dress Peter down. He says three words: DON'T BE AFRAID... DON'T BE AFRAID. Jesus knew what was beneath Peter's reluctance to put the boat out for a catch - He knows that discouragement has an underbelly of fear, that discouragement is that place of contentment in fear, not that we're contented at all. Peter finds kindness out of an action designed to bring repentance. He finds Jesus not despising his broken heart but affirming it; drawing close. God does that. He loves nothing more than when contrite.
As it says in Romans 2:4, "God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance." We can see how Jesus merely presented the opportunity in having Peter push the boat out, knowing Peter may lack the heart, but Jesus had faith enough in Peter. He knew Peter would repent, having acknowledged the truth.
Peter felt absolutely bereft of peace, having put his foot in it. Yet, in turning back to Jesus, He captures the intent of Psalm 51:16-17, when King David was morbidly sorrowful for having sinned greatly against the Lord:
16 "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise."
God doesn't delight in empty sacrifices, but He does so when we're broken spirited. Even though Peter had made an error, He experienced Jesus' grace. Indeed, we could venture to say that when it's hardest to tell the truth - when we have to tell on our pride - Jesus understands all the more what repentance has cost us. God loves it when we've had the courage to acknowledge the truth. That in itself is repentance.
But let's not leave our investigation of this account there.
The part that deserves our focus today is captured in Jesus' words:
"Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people."
"Don't be afraid; from now on you, PETER, will fish for people."
Jesus didn't want Peter to languish in fear. He knows fear is productive to lead us to repent. But then fear is terrible and unproductive. And it was fear that Peter was wrangling with.
Jesus doesn't want us to languish in the pain of lament, either. We're not judged badly for doing so when we do, but Jesus has more for us beyond the lament.
The important thing is we have lamented - we've honoured the truth. That's enough for God.
As soon as we turn back to God we realise God has already turned back to us.
And the outcome comes down to this:
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
As we respond to Jesus by dropping our fear we find He has already supplied us with a purpose - it's not in gathering an abundant catch in this world, but to join in His work of building an eternal catch for the Kingdom.
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
And as the purpose of His Kingdom captivates us and refines us, our fear declines. Have you noticed that? Fear diminishes as purpose finishes.
Thinking back to those situations where we say or do things we soon regret, we have already acknowledged we could've done better.
That's good enough for God.
Maybe we could consider committing to something: I wonder if you could consider committing to leave your fears with Jesus. Try it for a week. This week, every day, in your prayer time, and in your mindfulness at home and at work, try and be mindful regarding feeling fearful.
Then ask, "Lord, what is my purpose beyond this fear I'm feeling right now. Show me so I can please You." Jesus may well lead you to build His Kingdom some way. He may well give you something that seems so incredibly small in this world's eyes, but something that has eternal significance to Him.
That's my challenge to you: for one week, turn your fear over to God very intentionally. Every morning as you wake up, read these words on a sticky note on your bathroom mirror:
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
There is always a purpose out of failure. God is affirming our calling even as we repent, which reminds me of Isaiah's call. Isaiah was only truly worthy to be sent when he admitted he was a man of unclean lips.
Only as we admit our need of God does God need us in building His Kingdom.
The church is a place the wounded have come to, to heal, to recover, to contemplate in peace, to gain space with which to reflect; and to be ministered to. It is God's place where all are welcome, and particularly the marginalised. Recall, too, Jesus' words, in the calling of Levi (Matthew), that despised tax collector:
31 "Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Jesus wants hospital churches and Jesus loves it that churches can fulfil that humble function.
There is a Kingdom purpose for every church, and for each of you, and we, here, are fulfilling that purpose in simply being here - in fishing for people, not simply in winning them once, but in winning them over and over and over again to the Lord.
In our personal lives, what could we achieve, and how could we live our lives, if we turned back to God as soon as we were aware we were berating ourselves?
There is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1) for those who are in Christ Jesus... no judgment, no blame, no denunciation, no censure, no culpability.
How might life be different if we allowed God to transform our fear into a godly purpose?
God has a purpose for each of us. A Kingdom purpose.
To turn that fear in the negative into His purpose for the positive. Let's focus on Jesus' words to Peter one last time:
"Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people."
As we give ourselves to something eternally bigger than ourselves - a Kingdom purpose - fear falls away. As purpose finishes itself in us, fear diminishes. As purpose creates, fear abates. As purpose defines us, fear declines in us. A Kingdom purpose.
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
As I close, I wanted to let you know how the situation in my opening story concluded. As fortune would have it, the two men I'd had problems with invited me to join them poolside when we were in Kalgoorlie. A few hours later, our problems were solved. I guess it was a prayer answered. From then on we had a great deal of respect for one another.
Let's also remember the final words in this section of Luke: "they left everything and followed him." They left their fear behind and strode into their purpose. And we have that same opportunity, every day.
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
Only Jesus offers us a purpose that transcends our fear. Remember my challenge to you earlier. For one week. Put those words up somewhere:
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
Give yourself to His Kingdom purpose and watch your fear diminish.
Only Jesus offers us a purpose that transcends our fear.
Only Him who bled and died;
Him who was crucified;
Him who bore our sin;
Him who made us God's kin.
Jesus.
Steve Wickham holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. Steve writes at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/
By Steve Wickham
Article Source: As God's Kingdom Purpose Increases in Us, Our Fear Decreases
Working for a chemical manufacturer on the Kwinana strip I was involved in an Emergency Response Team. If there were emergencies like fires and injuries, we would rush off and respond. We also responded to offsite emergencies, which involved recovering dangerous chemical spills.
One of the unfortunate things about my life at that time was my working relationship with two of my peers, who just happened to have a lot of influence in the Emergency Response Team.
One day when I was at training - we conducted training drills every fortnight - I was asked if I wanted to have a turn at operating a magnetic base drill. Well, I'd operated magnetic based drills for years, so I declined, saying, "I've done it a thousand times." Then I just heard these two guys sniggering... "did you hear him, he's done it a thousand times!"
As soon as I said it, I knew, "What did I say that for?" My two harassers were onto me, and so I defended myself, and that tiny little event became the cause of much anxiety in me, as we were about to do a week-long exercise in Kalgoorlie - I wouldn't be able to get away from these two for a week!
As I think back to that time, I feel for the anxiousness I experienced.
Have you ever experienced something like this in your own life? A time when, with family, or with friends, or at work, when something you said was either incorrect, came out wrong, or was said at just the wrong time? Maybe when you were young when you were at school, as a youth, or possibly more recently?
Have you had that internal dialogue with yourself, berating yourself for having done something regretful? Talking with yourself even when you don't realise you're even doing it. The effect, anxiety. It stays with you and takes your peace. And there's anxiousness for what this tiny little event has done to the relationship. We might say, "How am I ever going to fix this?" "How will I ever stop doing these things?"
It's a time when we're literally feeling tormented, and we cannot escape the situation nor ourselves. Sleep feels hopeless, as we lie awake thinking hard about what to do. Just hurts to be alive.
When we can feel our circumstances will never change, that we've ruined things indefinitely, and feel immobile and constantly overwhelmed in lament.
Consumed in fear. Fearful lament for what occurred, and anxiousness about what the future holds, as well as how we're going to fix this.
What do we do?
From this situation of regret and self-condemnation we come to Peter, or Simon Peter as he was then, on the Sea of Galilee. He was tired from having fished all night with his partners James and John. They were all tired. They hadn't caught a thing.
But the fact that their catch was non-existent, that they would have nothing to trade with, that he was feeling desperately hungry... that wasn't Peter's real problem. No, he soon had bigger worries.
We could be forgiven for imagining Peter thinking, Lord, You're a carpenter, I'm the fisherman, and we've been out at the best time of day and caught nothing... and You think we might net some fish now? BUT, I respect You, and I'll do what You say even if I think it's not such a good idea.
Let's read about Peter's situation from the Bible, if you have your Bible with you, open up to Luke chapter 5. If not please look to the screens as we read through the text.
And let's enter the situation where Simon Peter finds himself, again, in an awkward position, having said something that he thinks is silly.
Now, with this context of feeling like a failure in place, let's dive into the text of Luke chapter 5.
I'm hoping to show an important principle where Jesus converts fear into something abundantly useful.
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.
2 He saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"
9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people."
11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Now, I want us to focus on the conversation between Jesus and Simon Peter.
Verse 4. What is Jesus up to? Surely Jesus knows that Simon Peter and his friends have been out all night and that they've caught nothing. Surely, He knows they're tired. He must know they're discouraged.
Verse 5. It seems clear that Jesus' request of Peter catches him off guard. It might be that Peter, being a fisherman, has forgotten for a moment Who Jesus is, thinking Him to be a carpenter. Many things the Lord asks us to do can catch us off guard, too. But Peter is compliant in every way but for the fact he tells his Lord what his Lord already knows. Jesus knows they caught nothing. So why is He taking them out? Sometimes we can feel, too, as if God is asking of us the impossible.
Verse 6. A miracle takes place in that the catch of fish is bigger than ever before. It's as if all the fish were sucked into the exact vicinity of the boat. Why the miracle? Jesus can't just be showing off. He never does anything without its purpose. The next verse is our clue... watch for Peter's reaction.
Verse 8. Peter is overwhelmed in two ways, firstly in awe of the miracle Jesus has just performed, then simultaneously, he is overawed with shame for having doubted the Lord. There is a dual sense of awestruck wonder, yet of self-condemnation as Peter realises he doubted His Lord. He knows straight away, "I put my foot in it."
Verse 10. Jesus' response is remarkable. No judgment nor any condemnation. No lingering on Peter's doubting. Jesus doesn't dress Peter down. He says three words: DON'T BE AFRAID... DON'T BE AFRAID. Jesus knew what was beneath Peter's reluctance to put the boat out for a catch - He knows that discouragement has an underbelly of fear, that discouragement is that place of contentment in fear, not that we're contented at all. Peter finds kindness out of an action designed to bring repentance. He finds Jesus not despising his broken heart but affirming it; drawing close. God does that. He loves nothing more than when contrite.
As it says in Romans 2:4, "God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance." We can see how Jesus merely presented the opportunity in having Peter push the boat out, knowing Peter may lack the heart, but Jesus had faith enough in Peter. He knew Peter would repent, having acknowledged the truth.
Peter felt absolutely bereft of peace, having put his foot in it. Yet, in turning back to Jesus, He captures the intent of Psalm 51:16-17, when King David was morbidly sorrowful for having sinned greatly against the Lord:
16 "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise."
God doesn't delight in empty sacrifices, but He does so when we're broken spirited. Even though Peter had made an error, He experienced Jesus' grace. Indeed, we could venture to say that when it's hardest to tell the truth - when we have to tell on our pride - Jesus understands all the more what repentance has cost us. God loves it when we've had the courage to acknowledge the truth. That in itself is repentance.
But let's not leave our investigation of this account there.
The part that deserves our focus today is captured in Jesus' words:
"Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people."
"Don't be afraid; from now on you, PETER, will fish for people."
Jesus didn't want Peter to languish in fear. He knows fear is productive to lead us to repent. But then fear is terrible and unproductive. And it was fear that Peter was wrangling with.
Jesus doesn't want us to languish in the pain of lament, either. We're not judged badly for doing so when we do, but Jesus has more for us beyond the lament.
The important thing is we have lamented - we've honoured the truth. That's enough for God.
As soon as we turn back to God we realise God has already turned back to us.
And the outcome comes down to this:
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
As we respond to Jesus by dropping our fear we find He has already supplied us with a purpose - it's not in gathering an abundant catch in this world, but to join in His work of building an eternal catch for the Kingdom.
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
And as the purpose of His Kingdom captivates us and refines us, our fear declines. Have you noticed that? Fear diminishes as purpose finishes.
Thinking back to those situations where we say or do things we soon regret, we have already acknowledged we could've done better.
That's good enough for God.
Maybe we could consider committing to something: I wonder if you could consider committing to leave your fears with Jesus. Try it for a week. This week, every day, in your prayer time, and in your mindfulness at home and at work, try and be mindful regarding feeling fearful.
Then ask, "Lord, what is my purpose beyond this fear I'm feeling right now. Show me so I can please You." Jesus may well lead you to build His Kingdom some way. He may well give you something that seems so incredibly small in this world's eyes, but something that has eternal significance to Him.
That's my challenge to you: for one week, turn your fear over to God very intentionally. Every morning as you wake up, read these words on a sticky note on your bathroom mirror:
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
There is always a purpose out of failure. God is affirming our calling even as we repent, which reminds me of Isaiah's call. Isaiah was only truly worthy to be sent when he admitted he was a man of unclean lips.
Only as we admit our need of God does God need us in building His Kingdom.
The church is a place the wounded have come to, to heal, to recover, to contemplate in peace, to gain space with which to reflect; and to be ministered to. It is God's place where all are welcome, and particularly the marginalised. Recall, too, Jesus' words, in the calling of Levi (Matthew), that despised tax collector:
31 "Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Jesus wants hospital churches and Jesus loves it that churches can fulfil that humble function.
There is a Kingdom purpose for every church, and for each of you, and we, here, are fulfilling that purpose in simply being here - in fishing for people, not simply in winning them once, but in winning them over and over and over again to the Lord.
In our personal lives, what could we achieve, and how could we live our lives, if we turned back to God as soon as we were aware we were berating ourselves?
There is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1) for those who are in Christ Jesus... no judgment, no blame, no denunciation, no censure, no culpability.
How might life be different if we allowed God to transform our fear into a godly purpose?
God has a purpose for each of us. A Kingdom purpose.
To turn that fear in the negative into His purpose for the positive. Let's focus on Jesus' words to Peter one last time:
"Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people."
As we give ourselves to something eternally bigger than ourselves - a Kingdom purpose - fear falls away. As purpose finishes itself in us, fear diminishes. As purpose creates, fear abates. As purpose defines us, fear declines in us. A Kingdom purpose.
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
As I close, I wanted to let you know how the situation in my opening story concluded. As fortune would have it, the two men I'd had problems with invited me to join them poolside when we were in Kalgoorlie. A few hours later, our problems were solved. I guess it was a prayer answered. From then on we had a great deal of respect for one another.
Let's also remember the final words in this section of Luke: "they left everything and followed him." They left their fear behind and strode into their purpose. And we have that same opportunity, every day.
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
Only Jesus offers us a purpose that transcends our fear. Remember my challenge to you earlier. For one week. Put those words up somewhere:
As God's Kingdom purpose increases in us, our fear decreases.
Give yourself to His Kingdom purpose and watch your fear diminish.
Only Jesus offers us a purpose that transcends our fear.
Only Him who bled and died;
Him who was crucified;
Him who bore our sin;
Him who made us God's kin.
Jesus.
Steve Wickham holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. Steve writes at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/
By Steve Wickham
Article Source: As God's Kingdom Purpose Increases in Us, Our Fear Decreases
