When You Don’t Know What’s Next, Trust the One Who Does
Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples — John 21:1–14
“It is the Lord!” — John 21:7
🎬 When the Future Suddenly Becomes Unclear
Have you ever reached a point in your life when you simply didn’t know what to do next?
You have finished one season, but the next one has not yet begun.
The familiar road is behind you, but the road ahead seems hidden.
You pray.
You think.
You make plans.
You try to figure things out.
But the more you look ahead, the more uncertain everything seems.
Perhaps you are asking:
“Lord, what do You want me to do now?”
“Should I move forward or wait?”
“Should I start again?”
“How will I provide for my needs?”
“Where are You leading me?”
John 21:1–14 brings us into a moment that feels surprisingly familiar.
Seven disciples are by the Sea of Galilee. Jesus has already risen from the dead and appeared to them. Yet they are still waiting. They know what has happened, but they don’t seem to know exactly what comes next.
Then Simon Peter says:
“I’m going fishing.”
And the others answer:
“We’ll come, too.”
So, they get into a boat.
They go fishing.
And they catch nothing.
Not one fish.
All night.
📖 SCRIPTURE — The Night of the Empty Net
John tells us that seven disciples were together:
Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee—James and John—and two other disciples.
They were together at the Sea of Galilee.
Then Peter made a decision:
“I’m going fishing.”
We are not told exactly why Peter decided to go fishing.
Perhaps he simply wanted to return to something familiar.
Perhaps he needed food.
Perhaps he was thinking about work again.
Perhaps he was simply unsure of what else to do.
The text does not tell us.
And we should be careful not to claim what Scripture does not explicitly say.
But whatever Peter’s reason was, the picture is clear:
They went out in the boat, worked through the night, and caught nothing.
Imagine that scene.
Darkness over the lake.
The disciples casting their nets.
Pulling them back.
Trying again.
Hours passing.
Still nothing.
Their experience as fishermen could not produce the result they wanted.
Their hard work could not fill the net.
Their entire night of labor ended with an empty boat.
Sometimes our lives feel exactly like that.
🌊 Have You Ever Had an Empty-Net Season?
There are seasons when we work hard but see little result.
We put more hours into our business, but business remains slow.
We send applications but receive no response.
We start something new, but it doesn’t work.
We work overtime, yet the financial pressure remains.
We try to repair something, but it still doesn’t improve.
We make plans, but circumstances don’t cooperate.
We pray and wait, yet the answer seems delayed.
We can become exhausted asking:
“What am I doing wrong?”
But John 21 gives us another perspective.
The disciples’ empty net did not mean Jesus was absent.
In fact, Jesus was about to appear.
They simply couldn’t recognize Him yet.
And that is an important reminder for us:
An empty net does not mean an absent God.
Sometimes we interpret silence as abandonment.
We interpret delay as rejection.
We interpret failure as the end.
But God may be working in ways we cannot yet see.
🌅 At Dawn, Jesus Was Already There
John tells us:
“At dawn, Jesus was standing on the beach.”
The disciples didn’t recognize Him.
Think about that.
While they were struggling through the night, Jesus was already there.
While they were working.
While they were waiting.
While their nets remained empty.
Jesus was already on the shore.
There is something deeply comforting about that picture.
The disciples didn’t know what the morning would bring.
Jesus did.
They didn’t know where the fish were.
Jesus did.
They didn’t know what was coming next.
Jesus did.
And perhaps that is where our faith is tested most—not when we have all the answers, but when we don’t.
We want to see the whole picture.
God often gives us only the next step.
We want a detailed plan.
God asks us to trust Him.
We want certainty.
God invites us into faith.
🗣️ “Have You Caught Any Fish?”
Jesus called to them:
“Fellows, have you caught any fish?”
Their answer was simple:
“No.”
There was no elaborate explanation.
No excuse.
Just:
No.
I find that beautiful.
Sometimes we don’t need impressive words when we come to God.
We can simply tell Him the truth.
Lord, I have nothing.
Lord, I don’t know what to do.
Lord, I tried.
Lord, I am tired.
Lord, my net is empty.
God already knows.
We don’t have to pretend that everything is fine.
We can come honestly.
And then Jesus gave them an instruction:
“Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!”
It was a simple command.
But something extraordinary happened when they obeyed.
🐟 The Same Net. A Different Result.
They threw the net where Jesus told them.
Suddenly, there were so many fish that they couldn’t haul the net in.
Think about the contrast.
All night: nothing.
One instruction from Jesus: abundance.
The disciples had not suddenly become better fishermen.
The boat had not changed.
The net had not changed.
The lake had not changed.
Jesus’ direction changed everything.
This is why Psalm 127:1 speaks so powerfully to me:
“Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”
We can work hard.
We can plan carefully.
We can use our talents.
We can use our experience.
But there is a difference between working hard and working under God’s direction.
The first can exhaust us.
The second allows us to work with God.
This does not mean every faithful effort will immediately produce success.
It means that we should not depend solely on our own understanding.
We need God’s direction.
👂 The Miracle Began With Listening
The disciples heard Jesus.
They obeyed.
Then they experienced the miraculous catch.
That sequence matters.
They listened.
They obeyed.
Then they saw the result.
How often do we want the result before we are willing to obey?
We want God to show us the blessing before we take the step.
We want to know that the plan will succeed before we surrender it.
We want guarantees.
But faith often works differently.
God may say:
“Take the step.”
And we have to trust Him before we can see where the step will lead.
Perhaps the question is not always:
“Lord, what is the entire plan?”
Perhaps sometimes it is:
“Lord, what is the next thing You want me to do?”
❤️ “It Is the Lord!”
Then John suddenly recognized Him.
He said to Peter:
“It is the Lord!”
Those four words change the atmosphere of the story.
It is the Lord.
The One who had walked with them.
The One who had taught them.
The One who had died.
The One who had risen.
The One they had been trying to understand.
He was there.
Peter immediately wrapped his outer garment around himself and jumped into the water.
He wanted to get to Jesus.
The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish.
They were only about a hundred yards from shore.
But I love what happens next.
Because Jesus was not standing there demanding a report.
He was not saying:
“Why did you catch nothing all night?”
He was not criticizing their decisions.
Instead, they saw something waiting for them on the shore.
🔥 Breakfast Was Already Waiting
A charcoal fire.
Fish cooking over it.
Bread.
Jesus had prepared breakfast.
What a beautiful picture of our Lord.
The disciples had spent the night trying to catch fish.
Jesus already had food waiting for them.
He didn’t need their miraculous catch in order to provide for them.
He was already their Provider.
Yet He still asked them to bring some of the fish they had caught.
Then Jesus said:
“Come, have some breakfast.”
The Lord and Savior of the world served His weary disciples a meal.
There is tenderness here.
Jesus knew they were tired.
Jesus knew they were hungry.
Jesus knew what they needed.
And He cared.
Sometimes we think God is only interested in the “big” things in our lives.
Our calling.
Our ministry.
Our future.
Our purpose.
But this scene reminds us that Jesus also cares about tired fishermen who need breakfast.
He cares about our daily needs.
He cares about our worries.
He cares about the things that keep us awake at night.
He cares about the practical concerns we sometimes hesitate to bring to Him.
💭 What If God Is Already Preparing What You Need?
The disciples did not know what the morning would bring.
But Jesus did.
Before they arrived at the shore, He had already prepared the fire.
Already prepared the bread.
Already prepared the fish.
That makes me pause.
How many times have I worried about something that God was already preparing?
How many times have I become anxious about tomorrow when God was already ahead of me?
How many times have I tried desperately to fill my own net when Jesus was simply asking me to trust Him?
This doesn’t mean we stop working.
The disciples still had to cast the net.
They still had to pull it in.
Peter still had to drag it ashore.
Faith is not laziness.
Faith is working while trusting God with the outcome.
❤️ MY TESTIMONY — When I Couldn’t See What Comes Next
This passage speaks very personally to me because I am also in a season of uncertainty.
I have not yet returned to work or started another business because I have been focusing on completing this devotional series in the Gospel of John.
This work has become very important to my heart.
I believe God has been leading me to write and share His Word.
But at the same time, I have practical needs.
I need provision for my daily life and monthly expenses.
There are obligations that need to be settled.
And I have asked God:
“Lord, what do I do next?”
Should I return to work?
Should I start a new business?
Should I look for another career?
Should I continue writing?
Should I finish this devotional series and turn it into an e-book?
Honestly, I don’t know yet.
And that can be frightening.
I would love to have everything mapped out.
I would love to know where the income will come from.
I would love to know what opportunity is waiting for me.
I would love to know exactly what God will do next.
But I don’t.
And perhaps that is precisely where God is teaching me to trust Him.
The disciples didn’t know what was next either.
They went fishing.
They worked all night.
They caught nothing.
Then Jesus appeared.
He gave them one instruction.
They obeyed.
And the net was suddenly full.
I don’t know what my next assignment will be.
But I can continue faithfully with the assignment I believe God has already placed before me.
I can finish this devotional series.
I can write.
I can pray.
I can listen.
I can obey.
And I can leave tomorrow in God’s hands.
My prayer is simple:
“Lord, help me trust You.”
🌿 The Wisdom of Trusting God
Corrie ten Boom is often remembered for the beautiful thought:
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
That is exactly what I need in a season like this.
The future may be unknown to me.
But it is not unknown to God.
I may not know where the next provision will come from.
He knows.
I may not know what work lies ahead.
He knows.
I may not know whether I should begin something new or continue waiting.
He knows.
I may not understand why certain doors have closed.
He knows.
I don’t need to know everything.
I need to know Who is holding everything.
💡 WHAT THIS EMPTY NET TEACHES US
1. An empty season is not necessarily a wasted season.
The disciples caught nothing all night, but their story was not over.
Don’t allow one disappointing season to convince you that God has abandoned your life.
2. God can be present even when you don’t recognize Him.
Jesus was standing on the shore while the disciples were still struggling.
His silence does not mean His absence.
3. Bring your honest “No” to Jesus.
You don’t have to pretend.
Tell Him when you are tired.
Tell Him when you are confused.
Tell Him when you are afraid.
Tell Him when your net is empty.
4. Listen before you act.
Jesus gave the disciples specific direction.
Prayer is not merely talking to God.
It also means becoming quiet enough to listen and humble enough to obey.
5. Don’t depend entirely on your own understanding.
Experience is valuable.
Planning is valuable.
Hard work is valuable.
But none of these should replace God’s direction.
6. Keep doing what God has already asked you to do.
You may not know what comes next.
That’s okay.
Be faithful with what God has already placed in your hands.
The next assignment will come in His time.
7. Trust God with your provision.
Jesus knew the disciples needed food.
He prepared breakfast.
Bring your financial and practical needs to Him.
Work faithfully, but don’t carry the burden as though everything depends entirely on you.
8. Remember who is on the shore.
When the net is empty, remember:
Jesus is there.
When the future is uncertain:
Jesus is there.
When you don’t know what to do:
Jesus is there.
And when He gives you the next instruction:
Listen. Obey. Trust.
🕯️ PRAYER — “Lord, I Trust You With What Comes Next”
Lord God,
Sometimes I am afraid of what comes next.
I want to know where I am going.
I want to know how my needs will be provided for.
I want to know which door to enter.
I want to know which opportunity to pursue.
I want to know what tomorrow holds.
But like the disciples, sometimes I find myself standing beside an empty net.
I have worked.
I have tried.
I have planned.
And still, I don’t know what to do next.
Lord, teach me to trust You.
Help me not to run ahead of You because of fear.
Help me not to remain stuck because of uncertainty.
Give me ears to hear Your direction.
Give me wisdom to recognize Your leading.
Give me courage to obey even when I cannot see the outcome.
When You tell me to cast my net somewhere else, help me trust Your wisdom instead of my own.
When You ask me to wait, help me wait patiently.
When You ask me to continue, help me persevere.
And when I become anxious about provision, remind me of the breakfast You prepared for Your disciples.
You already knew what they needed.
You are still our Provider.
Lord, I surrender my work, my finances, my plans, my dreams, my obligations, my future, and everything I cannot control into Your hands.
I don’t know what comes next.
But You do.
I don’t know where the road leads.
But You do.
So I choose to trust You with all my heart and not lean on my own understanding.
Lead me one step at a time.
And when I cannot see You clearly, help me remember:
You are already on the shore.
I trust You, Lord.
In Jesus Christ’s name,
Amen.
✍️ JOURNALING — What Is Your “Empty Net”?
Take a few quiet minutes today.
Open your Bible.
Put away the distractions.
Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart.
Then write honestly:
1. What area of my life feels like an empty net right now?
2. What am I most anxious about regarding my future?
3. Have I been trying to solve something entirely through my own understanding?
4. What has God already asked me to do that I need to continue doing faithfully?
5. Is there an instruction from God’s Word that I know but have been hesitant to obey?
6. What practical need do I need to surrender to God today?
Then complete this sentence:
“Lord, I don’t know what comes next, but I trust You with __________.”
Don’t write what you think you should say.
Write what is truly in your heart.
Then surrender it to Him.
🌅 The Morning Is Coming
Perhaps your night has been long.
Perhaps you have worked hard and your net still feels empty.
Perhaps you are standing in the middle of an uncertain season, wondering whether you should go back, begin again, wait, or move forward.
You may not know what comes next.
But John 21 reminds us of something beautiful:
Jesus knows.
The disciples didn’t know where the fish were.
Jesus did.
They didn’t know what the morning would bring.
Jesus did.
They didn’t know that breakfast was waiting.
Jesus did.
And while they were still struggling in the darkness, Jesus was already on the shore.
So don’t give up simply because your net is empty.
Don’t make a fearful decision simply because you cannot see the future.
Don’t assume God has forgotten you simply because the answer hasn’t arrived.
Pause.
Pray.
Listen.
Obey.
Trust.
Keep doing what God has already placed before you.
And leave tomorrow with Him.
Because perhaps the most important thing you need to know today is not what comes next.
Perhaps you only need to know:
“It is the Lord.”
And if it is the Lord,
you can trust Him.
💬 WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Have you ever gone through a season when your “net was empty”—when you worked hard, tried your best, but couldn’t see what was coming next?
What did God teach you during that season, and how did He provide or guide you?
Your story may be an encouragement to someone who is currently sitting beside their own empty net.
Share your story in the comments.
Someone may need the encouragement that only your testimony can give.
📖 KEEP JOURNEYING THROUGH GOD’S WORD
If this devotion spoke to your heart, I invite you to continue the journey with me through Immanuel and Me.
Explore the other Bible Reflections and devotional categories, especially the ongoing Gospel of John series, where we slow down with God’s Word, observe what is happening, reflect on its meaning, listen for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and bring what we discover into prayer and everyday life.
And if you don’t want to miss the next devotion, subscribe to Immanuel and Me.
Let’s continue learning to recognize Jesus—not only when the net is full, but also when the net is empty.
Because even in the uncertainty,
Jesus is already there.
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