Asher's Blog

Chris is pressing for a breakthrough, but he hasn’t seen it yet.

And maybe, just maybe, he’s afraid.

Afraid that this is as far as it goes. Afraid that the effort won’t count. Afraid that another attempt will end the same way the last ones did. When you’ve tried repeatedly and nothing seems to shift, your hope is no more alive, it becomes fragile, and faith starts to feel little.

But I think about Peter.

Before the miracle on the boat, Peter had fished all night and caught nothing. Nothing at all. He had done everything right, used experience, timing, effort, and still came up empty. Yet at Jesus’ word, he tried again. Same sea, same nets but different outcome.

But just like us, Peter’s life didn’t continue without challenges, and in fact, he went through FEAR – the fear of what people would say. He denied Jesus three times. Not because he didn’t love Him, but because fear met pressure, and not faith. But I’m relieved because God is not a man, and  that wasn’t the end of Peter’s story. This massive failure didn’t cancel his calling.

Then I think about Isaac.

Isaac dug a well, and the Philistines took it. He dug another, and they fought him for it too. He moved, dug again, and again there was strife. But Isaac kept digging. No shouting, no complaining, no fighting, no quitting. Until eventually, he dug a well they couldn’t contend over anymore. And after that, Scripture says the Philistines envied him.

That part really matters because the breakthrough didn’t come because Isaac fought harder. It came because he refused to stop doing the right thing.

This is why Scripture says the righteous man may fall seven times, but he rises again. Falling is not the issue. Stopping is. You may fail once. You may fail repeatedly. You may fail nine times. But the tenth attempt still belongs to you, if you don’t quit.

That’s also why I don’t always feel the need to shout “Amen” when a preacher tries to stir up the room. Not because I don’t agree, but because I believe God’s Word already. I believe His wisdom. I believe His power. I don’t need noise to convince me of truth.

Faith isn’t always loud.

It’s persistence.

It’s digging another well.

It’s casting the net again.

It’s standing back up after denial.

There are four key lessons I’ve learned from trying again. These are things that consistently make new attempts more likely to succeed, and principles I now try to code deliberately into my next move to increase my chance of success.

First is expert advice. I’ve learned to stop relying solely on my own reasoning, instincts, or philosophy. Perspective matters and sound counsel matters. Sometimes that means asking experts for direction; other times, it means letting them do the work entirely. And even then, things may not go exactly as planned. When that happens, you don’t quit, you adjust and do the next right thing.

Second is presenting my plans to God. Always with humility and not being wise in my own eyes. God knows far more than I do: what to pursue, what to avoid, and when to wait. When plans are laid before Him in prayer, He gently nudges the heart in the right direction, often in ways that logic alone would never arrive at.

Third is aligning with His agenda. Peter offered his boat, Isaac lived within Abraham’s calling. God is committed to His purposes, and when you willingly offer your work, talent, or resources in support of what He is doing, He blesses the work of your hands in ways that go beyond effort alone.

Finally, obedience. This is where everything comes together. Whatever you sense you are led to do, please do it, and do it promptly. Peter cast his net where Jesus instructed, and the miracle followed. Obedience often looks simple, but it carries power. It turns another attempt into the right one.

So if Chris can’t see the breakthrough yet, that doesn’t mean it isn’t close. And if he’s afraid, that doesn’t mean he’s weak. It might mean he’s one more attempt away from the moment that changes everything.

Keep digging.

Ps: we are all Chris-es