I have been thinking and reflecting on Peter’s restoration (John 21). As I wrote the reflection below (see blog: More Than These), I was trying to imagine Peter’s mindset when Jesus arrived and He started to prepare breakfast. Peter had denied Christ and seen Him killed. Later, he was present at the empty tomb (John 20) and then again when Jesus appeared to the disciples in the locked room (John 20). In those cases the Bible tells us of no direct, personal interaction between Peter and Jesus. Did Peter hang back and hide in the shadows? Was he able to look Jesus in the face? We are told that when Peter realized that it was Jesus on the shore, he didn’t wait but instead jumped in and swam to shore. But Peter doesn’t say anything when he gets there. Jesus tells the disciples to bring some fish. Peter goes to work bringing the nets in and Jesus cooks. What must that time interval have been like for Peter - that time spent waiting for the food to be ready? Did they eat in silence? We know that the conversation between Peter and Jesus didn’t start until after they ate.
I can imagine the thoughts Peter was having:
Should I even be here?
Is he going to send me away?
He must be really angry.
How can I ever make up for this?
I have felt those same feelings many times after falling in some sin. The feeling of unworthiness; the wondering of “Is this the end of our relationship?” or “Why would He even forgive me?”
It is amazing how the enemy uses our guilt to drive us away from God. When we fail we feel like we are at the bottom of a deep hole that we have to climb out of before God will even hear us. We feel like we are so far from God and that it will take us forever to get back to Him – so why even bother.
These are lies.
One of the enemy’s most effective strategies is to tempt us by saying: “It is no big deal. Just do it. God doesn’t really care about that.” And then after we sin he turns to us and says, “I can’t believe you did that! You are horrible and worthless! God could never forgive you for that!”
This type of guilt that forces us away from God is not from God. The Holy Spirit convicts us (John 16:8). Conviction and guilt are not the same. Conviction leads us to repentance. Guilt drives us away.
God is always willing to forgive. There is no hole so deep that He cannot lift us out of. There is nothing we can do that will make Him stop loving us. When we feel like we have walked so far away from Him that it will take us forever to get back, we are still turning away from Him. When we finally turn around - He is right there. There is no distance. He has been pursuing us the whole time.
Though Peter was probably dreading the conversation, when it came it was short and he was restored.
Mark Wallace
I can imagine the thoughts Peter was having:
Should I even be here?
Is he going to send me away?
He must be really angry.
How can I ever make up for this?
I have felt those same feelings many times after falling in some sin. The feeling of unworthiness; the wondering of “Is this the end of our relationship?” or “Why would He even forgive me?”
It is amazing how the enemy uses our guilt to drive us away from God. When we fail we feel like we are at the bottom of a deep hole that we have to climb out of before God will even hear us. We feel like we are so far from God and that it will take us forever to get back to Him – so why even bother.
These are lies.
One of the enemy’s most effective strategies is to tempt us by saying: “It is no big deal. Just do it. God doesn’t really care about that.” And then after we sin he turns to us and says, “I can’t believe you did that! You are horrible and worthless! God could never forgive you for that!”
This type of guilt that forces us away from God is not from God. The Holy Spirit convicts us (John 16:8). Conviction and guilt are not the same. Conviction leads us to repentance. Guilt drives us away.
God is always willing to forgive. There is no hole so deep that He cannot lift us out of. There is nothing we can do that will make Him stop loving us. When we feel like we have walked so far away from Him that it will take us forever to get back, we are still turning away from Him. When we finally turn around - He is right there. There is no distance. He has been pursuing us the whole time.
Though Peter was probably dreading the conversation, when it came it was short and he was restored.
Mark Wallace
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