More Than Just a Story - the Book of Johnಮಾದರಿ

After Jesus restored Peter, He told him that his life would not be easy. Peter would one day suffer for his faith. Instead of sitting with this calling, Peter looked around, saw John, and asked, “What about him?”

Jesus’ response was clear: “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”

Peter’s question is something we still ask today. “Why is their life easier?” “Why do they have more?” “Why is my journey harder?” But Jesus reminds us, just like He reminded Peter, that our focus should be on following Him—not on comparing our path to someone else’s.

Comparison is a distraction. It takes our eyes off of Jesus and puts them on people. When we focus on someone else’s journey, we can miss what God is doing in our own.

Jesus had a specific plan for Peter, and He had a different plan for John. The same is true for us. God’s plan for your life is unique. Your job isn’t to understand someone else’s calling—it’s to faithfully follow Jesus in your own.

Then, John adds something incredible at the end of his account of Jesus' life. He says that Jesus did so many things that if they were all written down, the whole world wouldn’t have enough room for the books that would be written. This is a great reminder that there are things that Jesus did that weren't written down in the bible. The way I like to remember it is: "The absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence." This means that just because it wasn't included doesn't mean it didn't happen. My example of this is that Jesus undoubtably went to the bathroom, but, it isn't mentioned in the bible anywhere, but it most certainly happened. Just because those details weren't included doesn't mean they didn't happen.

God is always at work in ways we can’t see. The stories we read in the Bible are just a glimpse of all Jesus has done. He is still writing stories today, and that includes your life.

Instead of comparing, what if we simply trusted Him? What if we believed that His calling on our life is the best possible path, even when it looks different from others?

Jesus’ words are still true today: “As for you, follow me.”

Have you ever found yourself comparing your journey to someone else’s? How has that affected your unique calling?

What would it look like to trust that God is writing your story in ways you can’t yet see?

Is there anything distracting you from fully following Jesus? How can you shift your focus back to Him?