Angela Myers[/caption]
Looking at some of the moments in the apostle Peter's life during Christ's ministry on earth you can see a young man ruled by impulses, emotions, doubts and his own perspective of Jesus's purpose. He wanted to know the limit of forgiving others and what was the gain of following Christ. He was in one moment willing to cut off a man's ear (the sentiment was pure but the application faulty) and then the next moment he fled naked abandoning the One he was before willing to fight for. Peter scolded Jesus about his plans. He didn't want Jesus to wash his feet at first. He fell asleep instead of praying with Jesus during a profoundly trying time for Jesus and denied Jesus when Jesus was on trial.
But he was also a young man that in the midst of these low points, had great desire to be who God wanted him to be and to follow Christ. He had faith to leave his nets, to admit he didn't understand and ask for explanations, and to be the first of the apostles to declare that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. He followed the arresting soldiers and waited to see what would happen in the trail (we know of only one other apostle who went). He ran to the tomb with one other when news came about the resurrection.
I think most of us struggle between the two "personalities" of Peter. The faith to choose to leave his known and secure world to follow Christ, his deep inner conviction that Jesus was worth it and the only way to God and his desire to do the right thing. (A great book about this is: "If You Want to Walk on the Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat" by John Ortberg.) But he was not perfect and he struggled with himself and because of that often tripped and fell over himself in often public ways. Sometimes we can only see how much we struggle, just like most often people see the denying, impulsive, "you of little faith" Peter before the resurrection. Peter had his failings (as we do) but he was one of Jesus' closest friends. He was chosen (just as we are). Peter did and said some incredible, mountain moving things. Some very important things that we do also.
He believed: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Matthew 16:16)
He was honest about his desperate need for Jesus: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:68-69).
He recognized his sinfulness in the light of Christ's holiness: "Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man" and then walked away from his old way of life to follow Jesus (Luke 5:8, 11).
He took a chance and asked permission to do something that no one else besides Jesus ever did- he asked to leave his comfort zone and had the faith and strength to do something different: " 'Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water'... Then Peter got down out of the boat and came toward Jesus" (Matthew 14:28-29).
He cried out to God when he needed help and couldn't make it himself and trusted Jesus to save him (Matthew 14:30-31).
I believe, in one form or another, whoever has decided to follow God has made similar statements. Peter had victory in the midst of his failures and so do we. We are victorious and stronger than we see ourselves. We have decided to follow God, to leave behind our former way of life, to believe, and to occasionally leave our comfort zones to go toward Christ. We are victorious because we go forward. I encourage you to focus on the victories. There is no such thing as a small victory, only victory. It is you walking with God and God working through you.
God bless and keep the faith,
Angela Myers
Sucre, Bolivia