DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT: COMING BACK FROM FAILURE #3

My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.
-- Abraham Lincoln
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John 21:1-25

FAILURE MUST BE FACED FOR FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION
In order for us to come back from failure, we need to comprehend that unless we face our failure, we can’t get back on the road to recovery.

In yesterday’s study… we saw how Peter had returned to fishing when he had failed, and how we usually return to the familiar whenever we fail. We realised that this can’t help us, as we endeavour to come back from our failure.

Peter had felt a failure… because he had denied Jesus three times in John 18, but he had taken his first step to receiving forgiveness and restoration by jumping overboard and swimming to Jesus. We learned how God loves to forgive... I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

As Peter walked towards Jesus… he could smell the charcoal from the fire that Jesus had made, and he possibly had a flashback, to the time he had denied Jesus by the fire in the high priest’s courtyard, but he was determined to go on and come back from his failure.

We begin to see a pattern emerging here… this was the 3rd time Jesus had appeared to His disciples since his death, Peter had denied Jesus 3 times, Jesus questioned Peter 3 times and Peter had replied 3 times, and 3 times Jesus committed the care of His flock to Peter. I don’t know the significance of all of this, only to say that when God does something He does it to perfection… Matt 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

All of this indicated… that Peter was being forgiven and restored as a child of God, to his calling as a disciple of God, to his correct position as an apostle of God, and from this time on, the smell of charcoal would not be the smell of failure! Peter had come back from his failure and so can we!

Loving Father, I praise you for your word that helps me to understand, that I need to face my failure in order to be forgiven and restored. I praise you lord, for you are the God of the impossible that makes all things possible. Thank you for my forgiveness and restoration as a child of God, as a follower of Jesus and to make my calling secure. In Jesus mighty name I pray. Amen.