For everything we have ever done, there is an ample measure of God’s grace to cover us. For every doubt we’ve ever wrestled with, for every wrong path we’ve wandered down, for every fear we’ve allowed to sideline us, God has unmerited favor perfectly sized to fill the holes created by our shortcomings.
Sis, can’t you see that God is making you whole? You have a role to play in this healing and restoration, and that role is to partner with God in the process. Receive his grace, let him guide you in the changes you need to make, and drop all guilt and shame in the process.
The problem is, as God comes in with his grace that is fully sufficient to cover your shortcomings, you keep reliving what has already happened. As you relive it, you repeat it. As you repeat it, it becomes a habit. As it becomes a habit, you create deep ruts where you get stuck. And honey, if you’re stuck, you’re not moving forward in the big, abundant, overflowing life Christ came to give you.
When God offers grace, it is to propel you forward into the purposes he has planned for your future. When the enemy clouds that grace with guilt, your forward progress becomes failed potential, causing you to miss your divinely designed next steps. We must stand up with boldness against the ploys of Satan and declare his offerings of guilt will NOT contaminate God’s grace over our lives!
Take a look at this story in the Bible. John 21: 15-17. Shortly after Jesus’ resurrection, he is sitting and having breakfast with Peter. He asks Peter, “do you love me?” Peter says, “of course, you know I do!” But again, Jesus asks, “Peter, do you love me?” Once again Peter replies with, “yes Lord, you know I do.” Then Jesus asks one more time of Peter, “do you love me?” Peter is grieved being asked the third time, and he answers “you know everything, you know that I love you.”
Have you ever thought about why Jesus asked Peter three times? Didn’t Jesus know of Peter’s love for him? I mean really, does God ever have to ask us a question? He already knows the answer. When Jesus is asking, it’s not for himself, it’s for Peter. Three times.
Think back, isn’t there another part of Peter’s story that was repeated three times? Wasn’t there another time Peter was asked the same question, and three times he answered the same?
Yes. Just the previous week it had happened. The night before Jesus’ crucifixion, he says to Peter in Luke 22:34 ““I tell you Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
And sure enough, three times that night, three times Peter was asked about being with Jesus, and three times Peter denied knowing him, just as predicted. On the final time, verse 60-62 says “Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
What happened after this was the death of Jesus, then Jesus was buried. It seemed so final. So tragic. Remember, they didn’t know there was more to come. Imagine for a moment the guilt Peter carried with him. His final interaction with Jesus was his denial of him. Oh how he must have struggled. And imagine how he must have felt every morning when he heard the rooster crow. Each time it was a painful reminder of his failure.
But, there was grace for that. Grace so big it covered it completely.
Could this be why Jesus was then sitting having breakfast with Peter, and he offers Peter the opportunity to declare his love for him three times? One for each denial? One big heart felt declaration of truth for each impulsive denial the week before?
And when did it happen? It happened at breakfast. It was morning time. What happens each morning? The rooster crows.
This is God’s perfectly sized grace. Grace that took the painful reminder of Peter’s shortcoming marked by the rooster crowing and replaced it with truth, and a mission. Now, that grace allowed Peter to hear the rooster each morning and remember his undeniable LOVE for Jesus and the mission given to him, instead of the three times he failed him before.
That’s how great our God is. His grace is not only perfectly sized, it is perfectly timed.
Allow that measure of grace to cover your life. That is God’s desire here today. Whatever guilt or shame you have been carrying with you, God wants to show you a grace that changes everything. A grace that not only points you to the truth, but sets you on a mission.
With each declaration of Peter’s love for Jesus, Jesus replied, “Then go feed my sheep.”
Okay, you love me, now put it into action. Every time you hear the rooster crow, you remember how your love for me causes you to move boldly towards your purpose.
The enemy would desire the rooster’s crow to be a reminder of Peter’s guilt and shame, but Jesus changed all that. The enemy’s desire is for you to be reminded of your failure, your shortcomings, your guilt and your shame with every encounter of where you last failed, but Jesus says “love me and I will change all of that with my grace.”
Could God’s grace really change those reminders for you? Is that really possible?
Oh, you bet your butt it sure is! Your job is to declare your love for Jesus every time the negative reminder comes.
Rooster crows, Jesus I love you.
Three times failure, three times love.
And woooshhhh, here comes grace!
2 Corinthians 12:9 God says “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
God’s power was perfect in Peter because he received his perfectly sized grace to cover his weakness. The same can be true for you.
God’s power can be perfect in YOU! Let it be. Let him change those painful reminders into powerful reminders. Let him cover your guilt with his grace. And let him take your mistakes and give you a mighty mission!
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