"Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”" (Luke 5: 5)
Fr Miguel's homily during the Mass today reminded us that whatever good we do in life repeatedly, with little or no results, can be disheartening to the point of quitting or giving up. We might feel exhausted like Peter did - "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing" - but at your command I will lower the nets.
To Peter's credit, I'll interject the famous quote here that "the definition of insanity is the inflexibility of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". It's generally true, unless however, something different is introduced into the process to change the outcome. The difference here is that Jesus, the 'Master', told him to do it..
The result of Peter's 'obedience' led to an awesome problem to have: their catch almost tore the nets, and after calling for help from his partners, "they came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking" (v.7). What seemed like a bad day for fishing, turned out to be a fantastic fishing story memorialized in the scriptures.
Are you discouraged after you work hard, even pray hard, without the results you expected? Pause; talk to Jesus. If He's not in it, seek His guidance; perhaps He wants to stretch you; perhaps He wants you to put out to the deep. If He is in it, then, it's not uncommon for God's people to go through trials; but, tenacious perseverance and trust like Abraham had, like the Israelites (albeit ever complaining) and Moses had. Faith is pleasing to the Lord and glorify Him as his only Son Jesus did, and a cloud of witnesses also!
Thank you for these encouraging words.