Moving forward

Name someone who has never failed.

Peter? Definitely not.
Paul? Him neither.
Matthew? We’ve already spoken about him.

The list could go on, and our names belong on it too. No one is without mistakes. We all fail.

But what do you do when you fail?

One beautiful line stood out in this episode ofThe Chosen: “We pick it up and keep moving forward.”

Sometimes you make a mistake, or something goes terribly wrong. Then, you pick it up again and keep going.

That’s the mindset. It’s not the moment of falling that matters but the moment you get back up and move forward.

That’s what Paul did. That’s what Peter did. And that’s what you and I are called to do.

In today’s Bible passage, we see Jesus restoring Peter (after he denied Jesus three times: “I don’t know that man!”) and giving him a mission. Despite his failure, Peter is allowed to rise and continue. He’s entrusted with caring for Jesus’ church! Take some time to read the passage again.

I find it so moving how Jesus gets straight to the heart of the matter in this brief conversation: love. That’s what it’s all about: “Peter, do you love Me?”

Jesus asks him three times. Each time, in slightly different words, but the focus is always on love. Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, You know how much I love You.”

What about us? Are we also driven by love? By His love?

The danger is becoming discouraged when things repeatedly go wrong in our lives. You might feel like giving up: “Following Jesus? I can’t do it anyway. I keep making the same mistakes. Loving others? It’s just not possible. Showing grace? I’m not capable of it. Taking action against injustice? I don’t have the courage.”

So what do you do?

Don’t give up! Tell it to Jesus. Involve Him in your struggles. Be honest about your mistakes and failures. Ask Him for help. He wants to help you and teach you. That’s what discipleship is about, isn’t it?

With falling—and getting back up again. Falling—and getting back up again.

Master Jesus, help me. Master Jesus, teach me.

And He will!

Take the following questions with you to reflect on:

• Are there things in your life that keep going wrong, lessons you just can’t seem to learn? What do you do with them?
• How do you involve Jesus in those struggles?
• If Jesus keeps inviting you to keep going, how do you take that next step?

Prayer: “Lord Jesus, I know that You are the God of new beginnings. That You don’t give up on me when I fail, and that I can start anew time and time again. Lord, I struggle with … [be specific] and I want to ask You today to help me. I want to live and show love, peace, patience, justice, and all the other qualities that characterize You. I want to serve others, but so often I fall short. Help me, Lord, and grant that through everything I may become more like You. Amen.”

P.S. This is the last day of this Reading Plan. We hope it has helped you as a follower of Jesus and that you have enjoyed it.

The materials in this Reading Plan come from Alongsiders, an European discipleship movement, and Jesus.net.

Of course, there is much more to discover! Do you want to take the next step? Do you have a heart for discipleship and do you want to know more about how to follow Jesus together with others? Visit our website.