Anthony Bates

Peter sat in grief and darkness. He had publicly denied knowing Jesus just before Jesus was crucified. And for a couple of days, Peter had to process his guilt without expecting it to go away. But on the third day, Jesus’ tomb was found empty and the stone rolled away. 

Not long afterward though, Peter was out in a boat with several other disciples doing what he was trained to do before he met Jesus: fishing. 

It’s as he’s doing this that Jesus appears. But instead of letting Peter continue to live with the shame of his past, Jesus pulls him aside and asks him a question that propels Peter into his purpose: 

“Do you love me?”

Three times Jesus asks Peter this—one for each time Peter denied him. This wasn’t a passive-aggressive question: Jesus was inviting Peter to reaffirm the relationship he’d previously denied. 

Every time Peter responds with, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you,” Jesus re-commissions Peter by calling him into the role of church builder and shepherd. 

Jesus’ resurrection meant that Peter didn’t have to be defined by his mistakes. He could still embrace the call on his life and become the leader Jesus knew he could be. 

Like Peter, you also have the opportunity to say “yes” to loving Jesus and being loved by Him. No matter how dysfunctional your life looks, or how far from Jesus you feel, there is nothing that can separate you from His love. 

Your past mistakes or current problems do not dictate your purpose when your life is rooted in Christ. 

God has given each of us access to a free gift we don’t deserve: a free gift that is available when we choose to love God and receive His relentless, sacrificial love for us.

The resurrection reassures us that no situation or mistake is impossible for God to redeem. There is no fear Jesus cannot conquer and no life He cannot heal. No darkness can stand against the power of the risen God who conquered death on our behalf. 

There is nothing our God can’t do, and no one our God can’t redeem. 

What’s easier? Lounging on your couch or hiking up a mountain? Scarfing down a candy bar or cooking a healthy meal? Complaining about a problem or working diligently to solve it? Saving your hard-earned money or spending it all in one night?

Just because something is easy doesn’t mean it's what's best. 

Jesus knew this. In fact, He often chose the harder road with purpose over an easy one with no meaning. He said: 

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Though Jesus beckons the entire world, His invitation is also exclusive. Because all paths, all religions, and all good intentions do not lead to God.

Jesus isn’t implying that we can earn our own salvation by searching the hardest or climbing the highest or praying the longest to find some elusive gate. Instead, Jesus makes it clear in John 10:7, saying, “I am the gate…”

The way to the one true God, the Creator of this world and the Sustainer of your life, is through Jesus Christ—who loves you, gave His life for you, and was raised from the dead so that you could live.

You can’t earn His love or salvation, but you can accept His gift of grace and enter through the narrow gate.

Yes, it’s easier to scroll social media than to think about the deeper meaning of life. It’s easier to stay busy and distracted than to confess and repent of your sins. It’s easier to dismiss God altogether than to trust Him with your soul.

[14] But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Think about your upcoming plans for the day, week, year, and beyond.

Maybe you want to start a business.

Maybe you want to raise a family.

Maybe you want to write a book.

Maybe you want to travel the world.

Maybe you want to start a ministry.

Maybe you want to volunteer in your city.

Maybe you want to plant a garden.

Maybe you want to pay off debt.

Scripture tells us …

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Making plans isn’t a bad thing. In fact, the Bible tells us that we will harvest what we plant (Galatians 6:7), so we should be diligent—not lazy—to wisely prepare for the future. But we must simultaneously hold those plans loosely, because God knows the full picture of our lives.

God is always working in and through His people, giving them the desire and power to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2:13). But sometimes, we require rerouting. Sometimes what we want isn’t in His plan.

But even when we don’t get what we’ve hoped for, He always has our good and His glory in mind. 

Jesus modeled how to surrender His own plans by literally giving His life up for us—for our freedom. And, even though it wasn’t easy, our lives and our futures look different because God’s purpose prevailed.

[21] Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

All around the world, there are rumors of war, or genuine threats to safety and security. We experience high levels of conflict and change across various cultures, and in our personal lives. We wonder about our safety, the security of our children, and what the future might look like. 

If we’re not careful, our thoughts can easily lead us into anxiety. We can be swept into the spiral of over-thinking and worry. But God tells us something different. He tells us to submit everything to Him in prayer. To submit something to God in prayer is to recognize that He is the creator and director of history, and He alone has the power to protect us and direct our lives.

If we’re careful to guard our thoughts and submit them to God, God says that He will give us His peace. The peace of God surpasses all of our understanding because it transcends our anxious and changing world.

Having God’s peace doesn’t mean that we won’t have times where we feel anxious. But even in the most anxious of times, we can rest in the assurance that God is with us, and He is more powerful than our anxiety. When we offer God our thoughts and circumstances, we allow Him to step in. We allow Him to transform the ways we think and act. We allow His peace to guard our hearts and minds. 

The truth is, we don’t have the power to change our thoughts or circumstances—only God does. When we try to take control, we often worsen the spiral of anxiety and worry. But we don’t have to stay in that place. We can bring our concerns to God, and allow Him to give us His peace in return. Over time, we will discover that His peace has empowered us to think and act differently.

[7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

As a teenager, David was anointed as the next king of Israel. But instead of ascending to the throne in a blaze of glory, he spent years running from Israel’s current king (his father-in-law) who repeatedly tried to kill him. 

During this time, David laments to God. He has honest conversations about his situation while holding onto the hope that God can—and will—restore him. Psalm 59 is the result of one of those conversations.  

David’s laments allowed him to express his grief, cry out for justice, and remember God’s faithfulness. Focusing on God’s faithfulness reminded David of God’s character, and knowing God’s character helped him hold onto hope. That’s why he could say, “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” (Psalm 59:16 NIV)

Talking honestly with God helped David recognize that even though his current situation wasn’t good, God was still good, and still worthy of being worshiped. David believed that God was still in control, and that he would one day see the fulfillment of God’s promises.

And one day, God’s promises did come to pass. But God didn’t waste the years David spent as a fugitive—instead, He used them to help David become the leader and warrior Israel needed. The setbacks David endured actually strengthened his character and prepared him for his future purpose. Although his circumstances were painful, God was faithful. 

And God can—and will—be faithful with your life. 

When you place your hope in Jesus, you never grieve in vain because the God who is now is also the God who will be forever. And He is constantly advocating and acting on your behalf. That’s why, no matter what you face, you can hold onto this hope: Jesus can turn your setbacks and sorrows into setups for your good and His glory. 

God can take your pain and use it for His purposes. He can make a way through your desert seasons. He is your source of strength and your refuge in times of trouble. Nothing is impossible for God.