Seeking To Be A Fisher

By Frank E. Henrich December 1973

    Author's Note Jan. 2007. Recently having reached the age of 75, I decided to read through my journals of life saved since 1967. When I reached the 1970 through 1974 journal, I found the below article. Frankly, I had forgotten all about it. When reviewing my writings, I ask my wife, Barbara, to read them to me as I sit with closed eyes. After hearing this article again after so many years, my first thought was, if I was writing the article today, I would not change any thought expressed. The next thought was, that after 33 years, the message I wrote to share then with others, is just as valid today. May the Holy Spirit inspire you as you read.

    Seeking to be a fisher? Fishers are disciples of God, who in their daily living, seek with prayer to God; opportunities to assist their neighbor’s spiritual needs. Thus, a Fisher is a spiritual helper to our Eternal Father. For what better way can we return God's love. God will bring to us the needy, and the Holy Spirit will guide us as we dare to face the consequences of teaching our faith, by doing God's will, not the big I.

    This is not knocking on doors because those in need will be brought to you in the realism of daily happenings. The hardest part is to remember to pray each day to be a fisher and then to forget the personal consequences of your action.

    When a needy soul is led to you by the Holy Spirit, you will feel the need to help that person by receiving a strong thought or desire. When you inspire the needy one by witness, prayer, sincere interest in their needs, and encouraging their faith, a wonderful feeling of joy fills you as you know you have been again chosen to be an instrument of God. St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians 2:13, "It is God, for his own living purpose, who puts the will and the action into you."

    The Path to be a Fisher is not traveled easily. The virtues of humility, patience, service, combined with a deep faith that "God Is," and a turning over of ones will to God are all mile stops along this road. It's a beautiful road which overshadows the loss of false pride as it fades away when humility moves in.

    There really isn’t a faster way to come out of tune with God than to take credit yourself. Even the air you breathe God created. Be meek and humble at heart. Give God the credit and thank God for his many blessings. Stand strong, not weak, with confidence that the "Creator of all things" is your master and have confidence in your God-given abilities to move forward in your spiritual, family, and social life. A true Christian is not a weak person, but instead a strong person, for he has the strength of his faith.

    Two events happen along this first mile of humility. To place trust in God you must first learn to pray in a positive way. You will need to search the gospels for strength in God's word. You remember Jesus teaches us to ask and it will be done in accordance with your faith.

    The second happening on this mile of humility is when your belief in "Positive Prayer" strengthens you, and you are able to give God more of your will. Remember not my will but God’s will be done is a prayer you will learn to say often. Our thoughts (desires) start to change like a cleansing action within the soul. We move from dependence (as a baby), to independence (our life as an adult), to interdependence which is called the “Walk in the Spirit” in the Bible.

    During the last half mile of humility mile, you will observe a growing desire to return something to God for all the love He gives you. To do his work by helping others (an act of service) becomes more and more important, and with some success in serving the Lord, we start down the second mile called the patience mile.