“He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore… When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’” Luke 5:3–4 (NIV)
Many of us long for a deeper relationship with God. We pray for greater purpose, bigger opportunities, and clearer direction. Yet we often overlook the small acts of obedience God uses to prepare us for those very things.
Reflecting on my own journey into Christian leadership, I’ve come to see that God rarely handed me everything at once. Instead, He invited me to take one small step of obedience at a time, and each opportunity became preparation for the next.
God Often Begins With Something Small
If someone had told me years ago that I would one day become a Deaconess and Women’s Ministry Leader, I wouldn’t have believed them.
When I moved to the city where I now live in 2011, I had never held a leadership position in church. I loved the Lord deeply, but I avoided anything that required standing in front of people. I was happiest sitting quietly at the back, and as soon as the final “Amen” was spoken, I was already heading for the door.
It hadn’t always been that way. As a child, I was active in Sunday School and even represented my region in a Bible quiz competition. At university, I joined the choir and enjoyed serving as part of a team. Somewhere along the way, though, I got comfortable in the background.
Then one Friday evening, that changed.
One Simple Yes Can Change Everything
During a Friday evening service, the presiding Elder asked me to lead the opening prayer because the assigned person hadn’t arrived yet.
I was surprised. I had never led an opening prayer before, especially not in a church that placed such strong emphasis on spiritual maturity, and I didn’t feel qualified. But I said yes.
I had no idea at the time that this small moment was something God would use. After the service, the Elder thanked me and asked if I’d lead the opening prayer at Sunday morning service too. Friday evenings were small and informal. Sunday mornings were something else entirely — a much larger congregation, and a responsibility that felt far greater.
Looking back, my willingness to obey in that small moment prepared me for a larger assignment. From there, God kept inviting me into greater opportunities to serve.
Peter’s Story Mirrors Our Own
When I read Luke 5:1–10, I see this same pattern.
Jesus didn’t ask Peter to sail into deep water right away. He asked for something smaller first — the use of Peter’s boat. Peter agreed. Then Jesus asked him to push out a little from the shore. Peter agreed again. Only after Peter had proved willing in these small, ordinary requests did Jesus invite him into the deep water where the miracle waited.
This is often how God works. Before He calls us into something greater, He teaches us faithfulness in the small things. We pray for promotion while overlooking the simple obedience already in front of us. As Scripture puts it:
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” Luke 16:10
God Calls Busy, Faithful People
Another thing that stands out in Luke 5 is that God tends to call people who are already faithfully serving.
Peter and the other fishermen were washing their nets. Moses was tending sheep. David was caring for his father’s flock. Elisha was ploughing fields. None of them were sitting idle, waiting for an assignment — they were simply carrying out the work already in front of them.
I’ve seen this play out in church life too. Leaders usually look for evidence of faithfulness in small responsibilities before entrusting someone with bigger ones. That’s what happened in my own life: after that first opportunity to lead in prayer, I got more involved, joined the choir, and became more active generally. Later, when the Women’s Ministry needed a Financial Secretary, I was approached to serve — not because I’d campaigned for the role, but because people had already seen that I was willing to serve wherever I was needed.
Faithfulness tends to open doors that ambition alone doesn’t.
Going Deeper Requires Sacrifice
Before Peter witnessed the miraculous catch of fish, he first had to hand over his boat.
The fishermen had already finished their work for the day. Their boats were parked, their nets cleaned, and they were probably ready to go home. Yet they let Jesus interrupt their plans anyway. If Peter had refused to lend Jesus his boat, he would have missed one of the greatest miracles of his life.
Going deeper with God usually asks something of us first. We see this again in John 12, when Mary poured perfume worth roughly a year’s wages over Jesus’ feet. Many at the table called it wasteful. Jesus called it worship.
Every deeper level of intimacy with God asks us to put something down at His feet. Maybe it’s your comfort — will you get up earlier to spend time with Him? Maybe it’s your time — will you serve faithfully where He’s already placed you? Maybe it’s your finances — will you trust Him through generous, cheerful giving?
Whatever He’s asking you to surrender, remember: He doesn’t ask for it without intending to do something greater through your obedience.
Your Obedience Always Blesses Someone Else
There’s a detail in Luke 5 that’s easy to miss: there were two boats on the shore, but only one received the instruction to launch into the deep. Yet when the miracle happened, both boats were filled.
Our obedience is never just about us. When we pursue God wholeheartedly, our children benefit, our spouses benefit, our families and churches and communities benefit too. Someone else’s breakthrough may be tied to your willingness to obey God today. As mothers, wives, daughters, and women of faith, our children are often waiting on us to surrender our “boats” so they, too, can share in the harvest.
Obedience Unlocks Greater Purpose
Peter’s greatest calling didn’t come before his obedience — it came after. Jesus said:
“Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” Luke 5:10
His obedience unlocked his purpose. We often ask God for direction while ignoring the last instruction He already gave us, but God tends to reveal the next step only after we’ve been faithful with the one in front of us.
A Final Encouragement
Maybe you’re waiting for God to do something extraordinary. Don’t overlook the ordinary in the meantime — the small instruction, the quiet act of service, the unseen sacrifice, the faithful “yes.”
When you obey God on the shores of life, when you offer Him your boat and move a little farther from shore, you position yourself for deeper waters. That’s where faith grows, where miracles happen, and where purpose is revealed. Most of all, it’s where we come to know God more intimately than before.
Reflection
Is there a small act of obedience God has been asking of you? Maybe it’s serving where no one notices. Maybe it’s forgiving someone who hurt you. Maybe it’s committing to daily prayer. Maybe it’s finally saying “yes” to the assignment you’ve been avoiding.
Whatever it is, don’t despise the small beginning. Your next level of purpose may be waiting on your next act of obedience.
Prayer
Father, thank You for reminding me that You often begin with the small things. Forgive me for overlooking the simple acts of obedience You have placed before me while longing for greater opportunities. Help me to be faithful with what You have entrusted to me today. Give me the courage to surrender my “boat,” trust You with every step, and follow wherever You lead. Draw me into deeper waters where my faith will grow, my purpose will unfold, and Your name will be glorified. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible say about small acts of obedience?
The Bible teaches that God values faithfulness in small things before entrusting us with greater responsibility. Jesus said in Luke 16:10, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” Throughout Scripture, God often used ordinary acts of obedience to prepare His people for extraordinary assignments.
What can we learn from Peter’s obedience in Luke 5?
Peter’s story in Luke 5 shows that obedience often comes before understanding. Jesus first asked Peter to lend Him his boat and later instructed him to let down his nets in deep water after an unsuccessful night of fishing. Peter obeyed despite his doubts, and his obedience resulted in a miraculous catch of fish and ultimately a new calling to become a fisher of people.
Why does God ask us to be faithful in small things?
Small acts of obedience build our faith, develop our character, and prepare us for greater responsibilities. God is more interested in our faithfulness than our visibility. When we consistently obey Him in the little things, we demonstrate that our hearts can be trusted with greater opportunities.
How do I know if God is calling me to something bigger?
God often reveals His calling one step at a time. Rather than waiting for a dramatic sign, ask yourself whether you are faithfully serving where He has already placed you. As you walk in obedience to His Word and remain available to Him, He will guide your next steps in His perfect timing.
What does it mean to go deeper with God?
Going deeper with God means growing in intimacy with Him through prayer, studying His Word, worship, obedience, and surrender. It involves trusting Him beyond your comfort zone and allowing Him to transform every area of your life.
Why did Jesus ask Peter to launch into deep water?
The instruction to launch into deep water was both practical and spiritual. Jesus was preparing Peter to trust Him beyond his own experience and understanding. The miracle that followed revealed Christ’s authority and invited Peter into a deeper relationship and a greater purpose.
Does obedience always lead to blessings?
Obedience does not guarantee an easy life, but it always leads to spiritual growth and God’s presence. Sometimes the blessing is visible, like Peter’s miraculous catch. Other times, the blessing is a transformed heart, greater peace, increased faith, or preparation for future opportunities that God has planned.
How can I become more obedient to God?
Growing in obedience begins with spending time with God daily through prayer and reading Scripture. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you recognise His voice and respond promptly. Start with the small instructions God places before you, trusting that each step of obedience strengthens your faith.
What sacrifices might God ask us to make?
God may ask us to surrender our time, comfort, ambitions, finances, or personal plans so that we can follow Him more fully. Like Peter surrendering his boat or Mary pouring out her expensive perfume, our sacrifices become acts of worship that honour God and deepen our relationship with Him.
How does my obedience affect other people?
Our obedience has a ripple effect. Peter’s miraculous catch filled not only his own boat but also another boat. Likewise, our faithfulness can bless our families, encourage our churches, strengthen our communities, and inspire others to trust God. Often, someone else’s breakthrough is connected to our willingness to obey.
Why does God often call busy people?
Throughout the Bible, God frequently called people who were already faithfully carrying out their everyday responsibilities. Moses was tending sheep, David was caring for his father’s flock, Peter was fishing, and Elisha was ploughing the fields. God delights in using people who are already faithful with what they have been given.
How can I trust God when His instructions don’t make sense?
Peter had every reason to question Jesus after fishing unsuccessfully all night, yet he replied, “Because You say so, I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:5). Faith means trusting God’s wisdom above our own understanding. Even when we cannot see the outcome, we can trust His character and His promises.
What is the main lesson of Luke 5:1–10?
Luke 5 teaches that obedience precedes breakthrough, surrender leads to greater purpose, and Jesus calls ordinary people into extraordinary lives of service. Peter’s journey reminds us that God often begins with simple acts of faithfulness before leading us into deeper waters where our faith grows and His power is revealed.
If this message encouraged your heart, share it with another woman who needs this reminder today.
May your simple act of sharing become the encouragement someone else has been praying for.
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