Failure Is Not Fatalনমুনা

Grace

In this final episode in the life of the Apostle Peter, and perhaps the best known of Peter’s failures, Paul tells us in his letter to the Corinthians that God is able to make all grace abound toward us to enable us to have an abundance of grace for every good work. This third event shows us that God, by His grace, can take even our greatest failures and turn them for His glory and our good. 

To set the stage, it is Jesus’ last night and He is at supper with the disciples in the upper room. He has just told the disciples that they will fall away because of Him. As His statement hangs in the air, Peter steps up and declares that though the others may fall away he never will. Jesus’ response is that Peter will deny Him three times before the rooster crows. Peter defiantly replies, “Never. Even if I have to die with You I will not deny You.” 

Sure enough, later that night after Jesus is arrested, Peter is given three chances to state that he is a follower of Jesus. Three times he denies this truth. The moment the rooster crows, Peter knows the depth of his failure. He runs out and weeps bitterly. But, thankfully, that is not the end of the story. 

Forty days later after Jesus has appeared as the resurrected Lord, Peter gets the chance to come face to face with his failure. The resurrected Jesus appears to the disciples in much the same way he appeared to Peter the first time—over a reenactment of the fishing incident—thus reminding Peter of his first failure and the lesson of wisdom.

Over breakfast Jesus asks Peter three times (once for each time he denied Jesus) if he loves Him. Though Peter is grieved by this, we see him exhibit faith when he replies that Jesus knows all things and therefore knows that he loves Him. Jesus then turns this failure into great good for Peter and for you and me. By grace, he gives Peter the task of feeding and tending Jesus’ sheep. In other words, Peter is to be the shepherd of this fledgling ministry of the church. Peter experienced grace upon grace from Christ and from that grace served Him. The lesson learned is that the grace of Christ covers all of my failures.

For more Strong at the Broken Places resources – podcasts and free downloadable Study Guide – visit gsot.edu/strong. The Grace Center for Spiritual Development at Grace School of Theology provides non-degree studies, live online bible study opportunities, and resources like this devotional.