As I sat in my backyard one spring day, my attention was drawn to bugs scurrying between the sidewalk and grass. They appeared to be very productive, but I could not see what was going on. As I continued watching, I noticed some bugs appeared quickly while others took a while before resurfacing.

I was intrigued.

I was in awe of those bugs.

It drew my mind to God.

How often do we even think about what takes place with the unseen.

In Luke 5:1-11 we see an encounter between Jesus and an exhausted fisherman named Simon. Simon had been fishing all night with no success. The conditions just were not right. Finally, he pulls in the heavy nets and heads for shore. That is when Jesus calls out to him. He asks Simon to put the nets back in the water. 

Simon hesitates. 

As a fisherman of many years, this makes no sense to Simon to put his nets back in the water. If there were fish, he surely would have caught them. However, Simon chooses to obey Jesus. When Simon put his nets into the water, suddenly they are full. His nets nearly break from the massive number of fish.

Simon turns to Jesus, overwhelmed.

” But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken” (Luke 5:8-9).

Simon was in awe of the fish but more so of Jesus. 

Jesus saw what Simon could not. 

God sees what the bugs could not.

God sees what you and I cannot see.

Like Simon, there have been times I sensed God asking me to throw out my “net” one more time, and I have hesitated. In the natural it does not make sense. I have prayed. I have already tried. My spiritual bones are aching. Trying one more time, when I cannot see anything is hard. 

When we say yes in those moments of not seeing, it is a beautiful act of trust. 

It is believing that God sees our prayers, working in ways we cannot imagine. It is trusting that God sees the battle we are in, and that He is fighting on our behalf. It is understanding that God sees beyond the nothingness to the miracles already taking place. 

I could not see what those bugs where doing. Yet in a strange way I trusted they were doing what God designed them to do. Those bugs were not hesitant in throwing out their “nets.”

Are you struggling to “see” right now? If so, you are not alone. Yet throwing out your net one more time, as God leads, is powerful. You move from standing on what you cannot see to partnering in what God Himself has already seen. 

My hopes are that you will see bugs scurrying along, look in wonder, smile and say to yourself “Lord thank you for helping me see what I cannot see.”

Everything we need has been provided for us in Christ Jesus. You cannot see those things, but they are because God’s Word says they are there.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3).

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, my natural eyes can deceive me. They often cause me to question my trust in you. Give me the strength and wisdom to throw out my “net” the next time You prompt me to. My heart’s desire is to fully trust that You see what I cannot. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayers, in Jesus Name, Amen.

PEARLStoPONDER: When bugs surface from underground they never know what they will encounter. Yet the unseen does not distract them from God’s purpose.

Philippians 4:6-- Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Mark 11:22-24-- ²² And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. ²³ Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received^[a] it, and it will be yours.

2 Corinthians 5:7--For we walk by faith, not by sight.