Lessons while Fishing 12

Lesson 12: Fishing Requires Persistence

You are no doubt familiar with the old adage “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” That facet of your character that enables you to keep trying after you have failed is called persistence. Fishermen do not catch fish every time they throw a hook into the water. I enjoy fly fishing. This kind of angling involves casting the fly across the water over and over again, often hundreds of times without a strike. I often have to change the kind of fly I use. After one fly fails to entice a fish I take it off and try one of a different color or a different shape. I may go through a dozen flies before finding the one that works. This is persistence.

In our Christian life and service we will not be successful at everything we do every time we do it. We will sometimes meet with failure. But like a fly fishermen you need to keep trying and to try different things. Take for example your private prayer time. You may try praying early in the morning but find that you are not a morning person. Don’t give up; try an evening time or even a noon talk with God. Perhaps you are looking for an avenue in which to serve. You try the choir, but find you can’t sing. You try children’s work, but can’t communicate well to children. Don’t give up; try something else until you find what works for you. This is persistence.

Matthew 7:7

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.