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When I Fail

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” JOHN 21:15-19 NIV

We struggle to believe and live from the identity that Jesus gives us

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. MATTHEW 4:18-20 NIV

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” LUKE 5:4-8 NIV

We all live with a gap between what we say we believe and how we actually live

Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! JOHN 13:37-38 NIV

Peter’s life comes folding in on itself at the moment. He realizes he has failed.

Do you know who Jesus says you are

When we fail, our greatest need is to trust what we already believe.

“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”“ No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. JOHN 21:3-7 NIV

Peter’s greatest contribution to God’s kingdom came out of his failure

 

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Find a quiet place and ask the Lord to quiet your thoughts and feelings. When you sense you are ready, reflect on your experience of God. Do you feel close, disappointed, defensive, or some other feeling regarding your relationship with God? Ask God to help you identify a truth about Him, yourself, or others in which you have a difficult time trusting to be true. How is this distrust in what you already know to be true hurting you? What about Peter’s life encourages you about your own unbelief and failure? Ask God to help you discern what would help you trust more in what you already know to be true and believe? What hinders you in trusting in what you already know? In closing, invite Jesus into your current experience of Him. Ask Him to reveal what He thinks and feels about you. What do you think and feel about what He reveals?

Discussion Questions

  1. Have everyone become still and silent. Then read John 21:1-17, out loud, slowly and carefully. Pause, then read it again. After the second reading, ask the members of your group, “How is the Spirit of God leading you to share in this moment?”
  2. “If you search for Jesus, you will find yourself.” Where in your life have you found this to be true?
  3. Jesus saw something in Peter in spite of his see-saw life of successes and failures; how does this encourage you?
  4. Peter and John returned to their old life of fishing, but after casting their nets to the other side and hauling in a huge load of fish, John says, “It is the Lord!” Peter immediately hops in the water to be near Jesus. Share about a time in your life that you’ve had an experience that led to that same response: “It is the Lord!”
  5. Read John 21:15 (NLT). If Jesus were to ask you that question today, what are the “these” for you?
  6. NEXT STEPS: When you notice disappointment, hurt, or failure this week, whether small or great, journal about the experience. How do these feelings point to places where you are placing your identity? Pray to Jesus that you place your identity in Him and ask for healing of any past hurt. If you feel comfortable, share your journaling with a close friend or mentor in faith.