Failing Forward

Nº 224

weekly devotions to refresh your soul by Dr. Dan Bolin - November 15, 2022

We are always in the forge, or on the anvil; by trials God is shaping us for higher things. - Henry Ward Beecher

At the conclusion of the Last Supper, Jesus delivered a sobering message to Peter. Despite boasting of his faithfulness, Peter would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crowed the next morning.

Preceding the troubling announcement are some of the most astounding words in the Bible. Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:31-32)

Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him. He knew Peter would abandon Him during His trials and torture. Jesus did not intervene and rescue Peter. He merely instructed Peter about what to do after his failure: When you get your life turned around, use what you learn from your failure to help others (my paraphrase).

We all fall down. We all fail. We all deny. We all struggle just like Peter. Our challenge, like Peter’s, is to turn back to Jesus and get our lives on the right track. But that’s not all. God wants to use our inevitable failures to change us for the better. And He wants us to use the lessons we learn to strengthen those around us.

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc.