What If We Stopped Running, Trying To Escape Difficulty?

Didn’t Peter do more than deny Jesus out of fear?

So, why did he let that one event define him? Why do we let one hard day or season in our lives, define us?

How did Peter forget about walking on water, the bread and loafs miracle, the healings and the resurrection?

Why was all He focused on was his denying? Why did he end up inside that sin, finding self-pity? Why did he let weakness and despair embrace him so completely…

So much so, that He abandoned his ministry and went back to fishing?

What have we abandoned because we didn’t think we were worthy?

Haven’t we too felt too far gone that Jesus couldn’t redeem us? Our sin’s too much, surely God couldn’t come and relinquish us from the weight of doubt and despair?

Yet, Jesus waited for Peter…and He waits for us, on the shores of our affliction.

There, He burned brightest, the fire of His Spirit.

Will we leave our boats to find Him? Come to the place where Jesus prepares food and calls us, come and eat?

Then, there is that one encounter, that one call, that one whisper, “Do you love me?”

And we breath…

As if our past sins might swallow us, rise from the ashes of our own guilt and self-righteousness and whisper, “You know I love you.”

And He answers that same second, “Go….feed my sheep.”

That one call, one mandate. That one act of forgiveness. As if all of our sins have no merit, in light of His mercy…in light of His plans and purposes predestined for us.

“Go….Go and feed my sheep”, He says it again. The breath leaves our lungs, as if we aren’t capable, able or even worthy.

Oh, but this love He has given us. This overwhelming, all consuming, lungs-filling, completely captivating love…

How can we NOT respond?

Peter’s eyes shift from his own sin and shame to hope and love, and the needs of the world. And when we encounter His face, when we draw near to the fire of His loving embrace…

Aren’t we simply, naturally moved to “go”, “do” and live how He wants?

Obedience is supposed to be easy, a gift. Imagine, the Master of the Universe, out of the whole earth chose us to do His good and perfect will.

Yet, we kick against the goads, wrestle, and strive with our own will, demanding our own way.

And oh, how we might change, if our eyes shift from inward, to the world waiting so desperately for a Savior…

Outward. Embracing His love, grace, and forgiveness.

Mercy led Peter to be what was prophesied, called, chosen. And authentic grace and mercy will motivate us too.

Those forgiven much, love much. Those delivered duly, will dispense that same love to others freely and willingly.

“The Rock of the Church.”

From denying the church, Christ, the One who He would soon lead the charge, rising in power and authority and cultivating a heart for God’s people…

Peter discovered His weakness lead to ministry. And doesn’t the same area we struggle to find faith and hope in, deal with fear or anxiety, doubt or worry about….

Lead to our same call and purpose as well?

Peter went to the upper room, Spirit full.

Peter preached Jesus, repentence and the world became changed forever. 

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord falls on every head, tongues were spoken, and the church spread wildly into all people groups and nations.

And what if we too are caught in despair…looking for some healing, stuck in our boat of complancy because we haven’t forgiven ourselves, for the sins we have committed or received from others?

What if all we need is to see Jesus near, hear Him speak, know He is alive…Then JUMP into the water He has called us to…

Swimming fervently in His direction?

How might our hearts change, the world change, our own perspective change, in regards to who Jesus is and who we are in light of His grace and mercy?

Jesus allowed Satan to sift Peter. Why? So he might recognize his weakness? Embrace humility? Change from arrogant, self-centered, and egocentric to a self-less, forgiven, Jesus-loving leader?

Did Jesus give him his own thorn of persecution so Peter could rise in victory, know compassion, replace his heart of stone for one pliable and tender?

Did Peter’s weakness help him to identify with other sinners in desperate need of repentence? Did it help Him love His brother, create a testimony of “forgiven sinner”…not just a miracle-working disciple?

Still, friends…

What if we curse the difficulties we have been given? Blame the enemy? Run from our weakness or justify away our trials, denying Jesus is still alive and working?

Would we miss the miracle He is doing in us?

Would we be trying to fly from mountain top to mountain top without journeying through the valley’s even Jesus said we would experience?

“Yea, though I walk THROUGH tyhe valley of the shadow of death…”

I will fear no evil…

He will be with us! And wasn’t He with Peter? Even in and through his sifting? With Job in His suffering? Paul while he lived a life full of ministry even though the thorn in HIs flesh never relented?

And what thorn is in our flesh? What obstacle, troubles, trial, sickness…can we not seem to escape from?

Doesn’t He whisper even through it…“My grace is sufficient? My power is made perfect in your weakness?” (2 Cor 12:9)

So, what if we stopped trying to escape difficulty? Stopped running, hiding, drowning our face in our cell phones, empty poses, vacant platforms, and those ever luring pretensious existences?

What if instead, we surrendered our souls to His Sovereignty, the good, bad, the beautiful and rugged?

What if we welcomes both valleys and glory found in our mountains of hope? Truly let go and stepped away from controlled thinking, stopped wrapping our pain in toxic legalism, let our hearts soak in the goodness and sovereignty….

Afterall, all things that happen, both good and bad, must pass through the filter of His wisdom, be granted by God’s permission.

We are not victims, accidents, happenstances, blobs simply floating around through existence.

We are His. Chosen children. Loved. Given new life. For His good and glory. Every aspect, orchestrated by His destiny.

But first…

What if we let go? Trusted the truth that we all fall short of His glory. He is in charge. He intercedes for us.

And I wonder, does it take less faith to struggle, trying to control our destiny, than it does to abandon ourselves, let go, open our arms to trials, hardships, all He has for us?

Praising Him with joy, despite our circumstances or how we are feeling?

What if real faith isn’t perfecting us, getting richer, of even living a life demonstrating our chosen favor as children of God?

What if true sainthood knows from day one, real power comes when we let go and let God?

Let Him have his way. Giving up our will, for His? Having a kingdom mindset, instead of self-protecting like Paul when He denounced His Savior before seeing hearing Him speak…

“Go…

Feed my sheep”