Step Out On Faith: What Luke 5 Teaches About Faith the Size of a Mustard Seed
Have you ever felt like you already tried, gave it your all, and still came up empty?
Maybe you prayed for the opportunity, started the business, made the move, pursued the healing, or stepped toward the thing you believed God placed on your heart only to be met with disappointment. Now, when God is calling you to try again, fear and doubt are louder than faith.
One passage that met me in that season was Luke 5:1-10, where Jesus tells Simon Peter to let down his nets again after a night of catching nothing. And what I saw in this story changed how I think about faith, obedience, and what it means to trust God when I’m afraid.
When God Says “Go Deeper”
For context Simon Peter and his “co-workers” James and John had just spent an entire night catching fish only to catch nothing. Jesus is teaching in Galilee and sees the two empty boats and He begins to teach from one of them, this is where He meets Simon. Jesus tells Simon to push the boat out to the sea and he preaches to the crowd.
In Luke 5:4, Jesus tells Simon Peter : “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” Before Simon Peter, James, and John were disciples, they were simply listening to Jesus teach. But then Jesus tested what they were learning through His teachings. Were they just listening to His words? Or were they willing to act on them? That question still confronts us today.
Sometimes when God tells us to “go deeper,” He isn’t only talking about spiritual intimacy. He may be calling you to deeper trust, deeper surrender, deeper obedience. And often, the only way deeper faith is formed is through action. Faith grows when you move.
What Do You Do When You’ve Already Discouraged?
Simon’s response is honest: “Master… we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” (Luke 5:5) This is the part of the story that speaks to anyone carrying disappointment. Simon is basically saying: We already tried. We already worked hard. We already failed.
Maybe you’ve said the same.
“I already tried launching the business.”
“I already tried healing.”
“I already tried trusting people.”
“I already tried obeying God, and nothing happened.”
But notice what Simon does. He doubts… and obeys anyway. That’s what matters. Because many people think faith means having no hesitation, no questions, no fear. But sometimes faith looks like trembling obedience. Sometimes faith looks like saying: “I’m uncertain, but if You say so, I’ll try again.” And that is enough for God to work with.
Faith the Size of a Mustard Seed Is Still Faith
Jesus later says: For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20-21). He reminds us that even faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. Do you know how small a mustard seed is? A mustard seed is TINY. And that’s the point. God does not require perfect confidence before He can move.
He works with surrendered willingness. Simon’s faith may have felt smaller than his doubt, but he still obeyed. And look what happened.
Obedience Can Create Overflow
Luke 5:6-7 says “their nets were so full they began to tear. Both boats were filled to the point of sinking.” That’s abundance. But what stands out to me is this: The miracle didn’t just bless Simon. It blessed others too. James and John were impacted. Their partners were impacted. People beyond the boats were impacted. Your obedience may carry blessings bigger than you can currently see, and the blessings are not about you. The blessing you receive is also used to help others, to pour into others, to encourage others. Your “yes” to God may be tied to other people’s breakthrough. That matters when fear tells you your steps are insignificant. They aren’t.
Your Past Disappointment Is Not a Prophecy
One of the most powerful things about this passage is that Simon assumed the same result would happen again because of what happened the night before. And don’t we do that too? We let trauma tell us what’s possible. We let previous failures predict future outcomes. We let old disappointment become a prophecy. But when God is in the equation, previous outcomes do not have final authority. Just because it didn’t work before does not mean it won’t work with Him. Trying again with God is not the same as trying again on your own strength. It is stepping into a new outcome through obedience.
God Can Use You Exactly As You Are
Jesus called fishermen. Not royalty. Not scholars. Not people with perfect reputations. Fishermen. Ordinary people. People with jobs, limitations, fears, and flaws. And He used their skills as the setting for a miracle. That means God can use you where you are too.
In your current job
In your healing process
In your uncertainty
In your fear
Even in your mistakes
Scripture reminds us “For God does not show favoritism.” (Romans 2:11). God does not have favorites. He uses willing people.
Don’t Wait Until Fear Leaves
In verse 10, Jesus tells Simon “Don’t be afraid.”
Notice He doesn’t say they won’t feel fear. He acknowledges it. He simply tells them not to let fear stop them. That’s the difference. You do not have to be fearless to obey. You can be scared and still step forward. You can be uncertain and still trust God.
You can feel unqualified and still be called. If you’re starting a business, changing careers, rebuilding after burnout, stepping into marriage, or answering a deeper call from God don’t wait until fear disappears. Step out on faith anyway.
Faith and Obedience Matter More Than Self-Made Transformation
As people prepare for a new year, or any new season, we often focus on changing our lives through effort alone. But transformation is not something we manufacture in isolation. Real change happens through partnership with God. Your future is not built by self-reliance alone. It is shaped through faith and obedience. And sometimes the next breakthrough begins with one simple act: Letting down the net again.
Key Takeaway: Keep Going With Mustard Seed Faith
Even if your faith feels small, keep going. Even if fear feels bigger, obey anyway.
Even if you’ve been disappointed, try again with God. You have no idea how many people may be connected to your “yes”. You do not know how God may use your obedience to impact others. And you do not want fear to talk you out of what faith can build. Because God knows you’re scared. And still, He says: Do not be afraid.
Shadow Work Reflection Prompts
1. “We’ve worked hard all night and caught nothing.”
Where in my life do I feel exhausted, discouraged, or tempted to give up? How might that be affecting my willingness to trust God?
2. “But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.”
What would obedience look like for me right now, even if it does not make logical sense?
3. The nets were filled beyond expectation.
What blessings might I be limiting because I am afraid of being disappointed again?
Affirmation & Final Encouragement
My past disappointment does not disqualify me from future blessings.
If you’re in a season where God is asking you to try again, take this as your reminder: The empty nets were not the end of Simon’s story. And your previous disappointment does not have to be the end of yours. Go deeper. Let down the net again. And trust what God can do with even mustard-seed faith.
