We all make mistakes, but our failures don’t have to destroy us. Peter failed miserably when he denied Jesus. But later we see a resilient, bold Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, stand up and preach one of the greatest evangelistic sermons ever delivered (Acts 2:14–41). And how did Jesus respond to Peter’s betrayal? The resurrected Christ relaunched Peter’s ministry in John 21.
How does God respond to our failures? “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down” (Psalm 37:24). The Hebrew word for “fall” can be interpreted “fail.” God will not cast us away. And though we may fail, we do not have to be failures.
Can you hear Jesus’ words to you? He’s saying, “I know you’re going to go through challenging times. To you, it may seem like the end. But I’m here, not to whip you into shape, not to laugh at your weaknesses, not to excuse your sin, but to hold you up. What you might see as failure, I see as an opportunity to show you My power. What you see as imperfection, I see as an opportunity to experience My grace. I’ve made it possible for your failure to lead to success. The decision is up to you.”