When Things Go Wrong, They May Be Going Right

Just like you, I love it when I receive affirmation of who I am and who I am becoming.  But I can't live in that moment, I haven't yet "arrived".  As disciples of Christ, we need to keep moving forward, learning and growing in our understanding of what it means to follow Him.

The disciple Peter is a great example of this.

Peter has just been affirmed by Jesus, recognized for the revelation/understanding that he had received about who Jesus was, the Son of God.  I'm sure Peter was pretty stoked about that.  "I am a receiver of revelation" (and all the feelings of importance that must have come with that).  But just as quickly, Peter missed the mark when Jesus revealed that He would suffer and die.  Peter, "the revelator" was quick to jump in and tell Jesus this couldn't be true.  Jesus' response?

"Peter, get out of my way.  Satan, get lost.  You have no idea how God works."  Then Jesus went to work on His disciples.  "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead.  You're not in the driver's seat; I am.  Don't run from suffering; embrace it.  Follow me and I'll show you how....."  Matthew 16:23-24 (MSG).


"Get away from me, Satan!  You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's." (NLT)

How hard it must have been for Peter to "see" Jesus as the Son of God, to have even a brief understanding of what that meant, and then to be told that the Son of God was going to suffer and die would have seemed so contradictory to the revelation.

Many times we grab hold of a revelation of who God is - we realize He's our Healer, our Savior, our Friend, our Mountain-Mover, etc. - and we want to stop right there, but are confronted with an alternate scenario playing out in our lives.  He's my Healer, but I've got a cancer diagnosis.  He's my Savior but I struggle with pornography.  He's my Friend but I don't feel Him right now.  He's my Mountain-Mover but circumstances are overwhelming me.  What do we do?

We let God lead.

We hear Jesus' words to Peter and acknowledge that while we know some things, we don't know all things. 

Just as Peter couldn't comprehend why the Son of God would need to suffer and die, God knew why.  So once and for all the penalty of sin would be paid, that we sinners could come into relationship with the Living God.  God's point of view is all-encompassing, and He sees how it is all working together for good, even when we can't.

Yes, we are thankful and rejoice when we gain clarity about who God is and how He works, but let's not stop there and think we have "arrived" at full understanding.  Let's take what we have learned and continue to add to it as we journey forward in God, trusting Him and letting Him lead.

...and just maybe when things seem to be going wrong, they are really going right!