April 19th - Small Group Guide

7-DAY DEVOTIONAL WHEN LIFE FEELS NORMAL AGAIN

Jesus meets you in the middle of ordinary life.

John 21:1–14

DAY 1 — BACK TO ROUTINE

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. John 21:1–3

Easter is powerful—but the Monday is predictable. The disciples had seen the risen Jesus… and still went back to fishing. Not because they stopped believing—but because life kept moving. And that’s where faith often feels the most fragile not in crisis, but in routine. Normal life has a way of dulling what once felt vivid.  You don’t lose faith all at once. You slowly let it blend into the background. Normal life is where faith is either formed… or forgotten.

Practice: Pause for 2 minutes today in the middle of your routine. Invite God into that exact moment.

Prayer: “Jesus, meet me in the middle of my normal today.”

DAY 2 — THE DRIFT YOU DON’T NOTICE

“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. John 21:3

“I’m going fishing.” Simple. Familiar. Harmless. But underneath it something deeper is happening. Spiritual drift doesn’t feel like rebellion. It feels like autopilot. You’re still doing life… but something inside feels distant. Like an app running in the background—quietly draining your connection to God. Drift isn’t loud. It’s subtle. You don’t drift away from God by accident but you can drift without noticing.

Practice: Ask yourself: What has quietly replaced God’s central place in my life?

Prayer: “God, bring me back to center.”

DAY 3 — EMPTY NETS

“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. John 21:3–5

They fished all night… and caught nothing. The same place. The same skills. The same effort. But no result.

Sometimes God allows emptiness not to punish you but to get your attention. Because success in the wrong place can keep you stuck… but emptiness can wake you up. God uses empty nets to redirect full hearts. Emptiness may be God’s invitation to something deeper.

Practice: Where in your life feels unproductive or empty? Instead of resisting it ask what God might be saying through it.

Prayer: “God, use what feels empty to draw me closer to You.”

DAY 4 — JESUS IS ALREADY THERE

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. John 21:4

Jesus was standing on the shore…But they didn’t recognize Him. Not because He wasn’t there but because they weren’t expecting Him there. We look for God in big moments. But He often shows up in quiet ones. A conversation. A prod. A moment of quiet. The problem isn’t His absence it’s our awareness. Like missing a sunrise not because it didn’t happen, but because you weren’t looking. God is present even when He’s not obvious.

Practice: Notice one “ordinary” moment today and ask: Could God be here?

Prayer: “Open my eyes to see You in the ordinary.”

DAY 5 — OBEY FIRST, SEE LATER

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.John 21:6–7

Devotional:

“Throw your net on the other side…” It didn’t make sense. But they obeyed anyway. And that’s when everything changed. We often want clarity before obedience. But God usually works the other way around. Obedience creates the space where clarity appears. Like headlights in the dark you don’t see the whole road. Just enough to take the next step. Clarity often follows obedience not the other way around.

Practice: What is one small step you already know God is asking you to take? Take it today.

Prayer: “Help me trust You enough to obey even when I don’t understand.”

DAY 6 — RECOGNIZING JESUS

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. John 21:7

Then John says: “It is the Lord.” Recognition came after obedience. And it often works the same for us. We don’t always recognize Jesus in the moment but looking back, we see Him clearly. In providing. In timing. In safeguarding. Sometimes you only see Jesus clearly in hindsight. What you don’t recognize now you may celebrate over later.

Practice: Reflect on a past moment where you now see God was present.

Prayer: “Jesus, help me trust You even when I don’t fully see You.”

DAY 7 — BREAKFAST WITH JESUS

When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.John 21:9–13

After everything… Jesus makes breakfast. No lecture. No pressure. Just presence. Bread. Fish. A fire. The risen Savior… cooking for tired fishermen. This is who Jesus is. Not distant. Not demanding. Personal. Present. Near.

He doesn’t just meet you in the ordinary He cares about you in it. Jesus doesn’t just show up He stays.

Practice: Slow down one part of your day today eat, sit, or rest and be aware of God’s presence.

Prayer: “Thank You for meeting me right where I am.”

FINAL REFLECTION: You don’t have to leave your life to find Jesus He meets you in it.The same Jesus who walked out of the tomb is standing on your shoreline.And He’s closer than you think.