Never Beyond Failure…Never Beyond Use by Martin Wiles

“I’ll never deny you.” He was sure of himself when he uttered those fateful words, but now all he could hear was that cursed rooster.

“Hey, you’re one of his followers,” a young girl shouted as Peter mulled around in the courtyard. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied. Then she began telling others, and he denied it again. “I don’t want to be identified with him and arrested too,” he muttered to himself. Then bystanders noted he was from Galilee and accused him of being Jesus’ follower. Now he added a curse to his denial. This was also the occasion when the rooster crowed and Jesus stared at him. Jesus’ prophecy came true after all. He was a failure. When Jesus needed him the most, he let him down.

Perhaps this is why on resurrection morning the angel singled out Peter when he told the women to go tell the disciples that Jesus had been resurrected. Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee (Mark 16:7 NLT).

In his book, God’s Unlikely Path to Success, pastor and author Tony Evans says, “We’re capable of more good than we know, and we’re certainly capable of more evil than we realize.” Peter was overconfident, and this attitude led to his downfall. Almost a lifetime of following God has taught me that I’m never beyond failing him, but I’m also never beyond being used by him when I repent and acknowledge my failure.

God doesn’t expect perfection; he knows we’re only human. But he does require a heart attitude that truly desires to obey him and shows remorse when we fail.

Don’t let past failures keep you from serving God in the present. God forgives, so we can forgive ourselves.

Prayer: Thank You merciful Lord for not discarding us when we fail. Enable us to learn from our mistakes so we can serve You even more effectively in the future.

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