I've been thinking about nevertheless...

I’ve been thinking about nevertheless…

You are probably wondering why I chose such a weird word. 

It has been on my mind a lot lately and to be honest I ripped it off of a book I am reading, Pure Desire by Ted Roberts. I am gonna use the author's idea, but add the thoughts I have been having about it. 

The passage I want to talk about is Luke 5:1-2,4-5:

So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He [Jesus] stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets...He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”

Luke 5:1-2, 4-5



In Jewish culture, fishermen always washed their nets after they caught fish for the day, but in this story, these fishermen had caught nothing. They had given up and must have been feeling a bit defeated. Yet, in spite of their defeat, someone with authority (Jesus) told them to go drop their nets again. Even though Simon (Peter) seems to complain a bit he comes with a powerful word: “Nevertheless”. He listens out of his belief in the Rabbi Jesus, even in the face of defeat. 

The book “Pure Desire” talks about the battle against pornography and the idea that even in the face of failure, even in the face of trying and trying and still giving into temptation, you should still “nevertheless” trust in the Master that He will bring victory in this area. And I think this can apply to much more than the struggle with porn. 

We have to always choose a “nevertheless” attitude and posture. I was thinking about the current state of the world around us when thinking about this posture. In spite of the uncertainty with COVID and what the world will look like after this pandemic, I choose to nevertheless praise God in the storm. 

In the face of racial tension and all the things that are wrong with the way societal structures and people are treating our black brothers and sisters we have to nevertheless praise God in the storm for who He is and trust that He is working behind the scenes to bring reconciliation. Even when some of the conversations I have been having are uncomfortable and hard to hear, as a white male, nevertheless I will press in for the love of Christ to shine through and because I have a hope for reconciliation. In spite of whatever trial you are going through, you have to nevertheless choose to praise Him and have joy.

What does your nevertheless look like? How can you adopt a nevertheless mentality today? How can you be more like Peter in this passage?