The Value of ‘Yet’

When we fail at something, adding one small word can make a huge difference – the word “yet.”

In 2016, Stanford professor Dr. Carol Dweck shared her research in a TED Talk that school students who say, “I can solve this.” That tiny word – yet - opens up the possibilities instead of dead ends.

In the Bible story from Luke 5, we meet Simon Peter by the Sea of Galilee. He’s a fisherman and he’s washing his empty nets after a frustrating night of catching nothing. Fishing wasn’t just his job; it was his family’s business for generations. Simon Peter was a professional who knew exactly when to fish, where to cast the nets, and how to read the weather and water. Empty nets meant no food on the table and no money for bills.

Then Jesus, a carpenter’s son from Nazareth, suggests they try fishing again in broad daylight. It must have seemed ridiculous because fishing was usually done at night. But Simon Peter says something interesting: “Master, we worked all night long and caught nothing. Yet, if you say so, I will let down the nets” (v.5). That word “yet” shows that Simon’s is an expert fisherman, but he also has spiritual openness to Jesus. He doesn’t deny reality – they caught nothing – yet he leaves room for God to work in unexpected ways.

We all face similar moments in life when we feel exhausted and out of options. Maybe were grieving and can’t imagine feeling joy again….yet.

Maybe were recovering from illness and can’t do what we used to…yet. Or were struggling with our faith and don’t understand why something has happened to us …yet.

That’s where God’s acceptance and loves comes in. God meets us in our exhausted moments. God doesn’t ask us to pretend everything’s fine or paste on a fake smile. God simply invites us to add “yet” to our struggles, creating space for God to work in ways we can’t imagine…yet.

Pastor Lynette