BEING SORRY IS A GOOD THING

We've been talking about Peter and what a terrible low time it was in his life in the aftermath of denying Jesus. I made the statement that one very positive thing was the depth of his remorse. He was clearly broken-hearted over his failure. 

The fact is that we fail Jesus on a regular basis. There is no shortage of occasions when we fall short of God's ideal for us. Maybe we have refused to do something we know God wants us to do.  Maybe it's a relationship issue that we have stubbornly refused to make right.  Maybe it's a chronic sin problem that we haven't been able to overcome.

Jesus understands we aren't perfect, and He understands we will fail sometimes. But there is a very important question we all need to consider. What do we feel like inside when we know we have failed Jesus? Are we filled with remorse - to the point where we are driven back to Jesus in an attitude of repentance, seeking forgiveness?  Or have we reached the point where we are so accustomed to our failures that they don't really bother us all that much?

There's a human characteristic that can be very useful at times, but in this context it can also be very detrimental. It's our ability to get used to just about anything, given enough practice.

I once worked in a 12th floor office with a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. When I first started working there I thought I would spend all my time at the window and never get any work done. It's amazing how quickly I came to take that view for granted, to the point where I simply didn't notice it most of the time.  

We have the same capacity for getting used to the less positive things in our lives. People who do jobs where they are working daily with bad smells or in disgusting environments get used to it, where someone not accustomed would be repulsed. Unfortunately we have the same capacity for getting used to sin, or other areas in which we fall short of what God wants for us. Actions that once might have caused us real remorse,, even distress, maybe don't really affect us that much anymore.

Peter was devastated. He took his failures very seriously, and those intense feelings of remorse provided a powerful motivation for him when it came to his future relationship with Jesus. What it comes down to is this.  HE REALLY CARED!

How much does it bother us when we fail God? Are we broken-hearted by the fact that we have disappointed the one who loves us so much and gave everything for us? Are we remorseful to the point where we are highly motivated to make the necessary changes in our lives? Or have we simply learned not to care that much?

I'm not suggesting we go through our lives filled with guilt and beating ourselves up. Jesus doesn't want that and that's why he provided a way for us to come to him repeatedly, to have our sins forgiven and our relationship restored. We don't have to remain guilty if we turn to Jesus. 

Am I confusing you with what seems to be opposing arguments? Let me clarify.  We ought to care deeply when we fail Jesus. It should bother us to the point where we are compelled to seek his forgiveness, and motivated to make changes in our lives. Guilt and remorse are useful to the extent that they drive us to Jesus, who is more than willing to forgive and restore.

The bottom line is that we ought to care when we fail Jesus. If we don't, that's a sign that we have become calloused and our hearts are not where they should be. The Bible refers to "searing our conscience".  When we see that in ourselves we need to ask the Holy Spirit to renew our hearts, to bring us to the point where we once again are sensitive to His voice and His work in our lives. 

So how about a little self assessment? Are you still sensitive and desirous of pleasing God every day, or have you allowed yourself to become "used to" and unmoved by the times when you fall short of what God wants for you.  Let's be open every day to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to renew our love for God and our desire to live lives that are pleasing to Him.

Last week we looked at Peter and his denial of Jesus on the night of the crucifixion. More importantly we considered how Jesus didn't reject Peter, but reached out to restore him and set him back on track. If you haven't read last week's blog I encourage you to do so.

One of the key lessons for me in this story is something we haven't touched on yet. It has to do with Peter's attitude. As we read the account in scripture of Peter's denial, all of the Gospels tell us the same thing about Peter's reaction when he realized how badly he had failed Jesus. He wept bitterly.

In that moment Peter was overwhelmed by his failure.  He had promised to stand at Jesus side, but when the time of testing came he denied he even knew Jesus. In the aftermath of his failure he didn't just shrug it off with, "Oh well, I'll do better next time." He was totally distraught in his shame. And it wasn't just a momentary thing.  In the days following Jesus' resurrection Peter was a changed man. In the depths of his despair, feeling dejected and outcast, he finally said, "I'm going fishing."  

During those days we see a different Peter than what we've been used to. Instead of the brash, self confident Peter we see someone who is unable to shake the feelings of guilt and despair caused by his own failings.  His return to fishing seemed to be his acknowledgement that his life as a trusted friend and follower of Jesus was over. In his mind Jesus couldn't possibly want him anymore. Peter couldn't have been more wrong, but let's get to that in a moment.

Let's focus first on this. Peter's overwhelming remorse was all because of his tremendous love for Jesus and his powerful desire to serve Him well. It's that love and desire to please Jesus that made his failure so painful. That's why he cared so much. That caring is something we ought to emulate.  

When we fail in our Christian life, as we all do at times, how do we feel?  Is it a casual "oh well", or are we broken-hearted because we have disappointed the God we love and serve?  When we disappoint Jesus are we overcome with shame, or are we able to dismiss it without much thought?  

Consider this.  Is our response in times of failure a reflection of how much we care?  Is it an indication of how desperate we are to please the one who loved so much that He gave everything for us?

I'm not suggesting we should go on and on wallowing in guilt and despair. Jesus showed his love by restoring Peter and He will do the very same thing for us if we ask.  What I am suggesting is that if our failures in serving God don't really impact us, if we can disappoint God without really caring all that much, perhaps we need to take a look inside. Most of us began our Christian life with a powerful desire to serve God and to please Him.  Has that waned?  Do we care as much as we used to?

I'm going to leave you with that thought and we'll continue on this topic next week.

PICKED UP, DUSTED OFF, READY TO GO

Do you ever feel like the things God asks of us are impossible? Do you sometimes feel like a failure as a Christian because you know in your heart you aren't measuring up to what the Bible teaches us Christians ought to be like? Are you struggling with to master the things Jesus commands, things like:

• do not worry
• love your enemies
• forgive those who wrong you
• store up your treasure in heaven
• love God with everything within you
• love your neighbour as yourself

This is just part of the long list of qualities we should exhibit, and feelings we should have, and actions we should take. I don't know about you, but I can despair sometimes when I realize what a long way I am from where God wants me to be.

Then there is the list of inner qualities I should be exhibiting. In Galatians 5 Paul lists what he calls the fruits of the spirit. "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." When you look at that list do you shake your head knowing you have a long way to go? I suspect we all feel like that. In fact just when we think we are making progress something can come along, and in the aftermath we look back and say "Wow, I can't believe I responded that way. I thought I had grown in God more than that."

Thankfully, God is a gracious God who understands we are a work in progress. Our transformation into the people God wants us to be is a process, and we all find ourselves somewhere on the spectrum between where we once were and where we want to be. God understands that. He made us.

Remember when Jesus told Peter that over the next few hours Peter would deny Him three times.  Peter was shocked and offended.  It will never happen, he said.  But sure enough, when the pressure was on Peter learned that He still had a long way to go in growing into the person Jesus wanted Him to be.

The really important part of this story comes later, after Jesus' resurrection. Peter was obviously confused over what the future held, and still beating himself up inside for his failure to stand by Jesus when it really counted. "I'm going fishing", he said. In the time of questions and uncertainty and self-doubt he reverted back to what he knew. He was surprised when he got back to shore with a huge catch of fish to find the risen Jesus there ready to make breakfast. You can read this story in John 21, and most importantly the conversation that followed between Jesus and Peter. Jesus had no intention of condemning Peter, or even allowing him to go on wallowing in his guilt and confusion.  Rather than beat Peter up over his failure, Jesus was there to show forgiveness and understanding, to set Peter back on his feet and help him understand that this wasn't the end.  It was a learning time, a restoration time, a time to get up out of the ashes and move on.

I'm not suggesting that God condones or is simply okay with our failures in becoming the people He wants us to be.  What I am saying is that though He is saddened by our failures, it is our heart that matters most.  Are we repentant over our failures? Do we have a sincere desire in our heart to progress into the people God wants us to be? Then God is ready to compassionately pick us up, dust off our skinned knees, and set us back on the path of growth.  

There is never a need for us to harbour guilt in our hearts. The only productive use of guilt is that it tells us we haven't yet made it right with God.  It is the signal that we we need to come to God, acknowledging our weakness and our need and our desire to become more like Jesus.  It's then we find that "there is no condemnation for those who are Christ Jesus."

Does this mean we shouldn't be concerned at all if we aren't progressing, growing into what God wants us to be?  Let's talk about that next week.  

WHY KNOW GOD?

Last week I set about to make the distinction between knowing about God, and really knowing Him. I borrowed some thoughts from J I Packer's book, "Knowing God".  I believe the distinction is huge, and the impact on our Christian life is also huge.  

Why would I say that? Well, consider how important the following things are to us as Christians.

Belief:  Can I believe what God says is true?  God, through the Bible, tells us about the most important things in life.  It is absolutely essential for me to know whether or not they are true.  For example, can I really believe it when the word of God says if I trust in Jesus I will be saved from my sins? How could I ever make the decision to believe what the Bible says if I don't really know the author?  There are atheists who know lots about God.  They just don't believe any of it because they have failed to know Him.

Faith: My Christian life means sometimes I will be required to step out in obedience to do things that are beyond my own abilities.  That requires faith.  Why would I ever take such a chance if I hadn't learn to trust or have faith in the one who is leading me?  Our faith grows as we see God prove Himself faithful in our lives.  Whether it's faith in God or in a person, it grows and solidifies as I get to know that person better and better.  

Hope: The world we live in today doesn't offer much hope.  It's filled with wars, violence, immorality, economic problems, and natural disasters.  On the surface there doesn't appear to be much hope.  Our hope comes from knowing God, secure that He is going to take care of us both now and for eternity.  If I don't know God, the world doesn't really offer much hope.

Peace: The Bible promises that as Christians we can have peace that passes understanding. It comes from Jesus Himself, the Prince of Peace.  As we've been discussing in our Christian Living Academy, that kind of peace seems to be elusive and is not a reality in most of our lives. The answer comes from a growing relationship with God, a close daily walk with the author or peace.

Service: Is my life a life of service to God?  As I read the Bible I learn that there are certain things God expects of me as Christ follower.  The question is this; is my service grudging and coming from a sense of duty, or does it flow willingly from a heart that wants to please God?  I may perform acts of service because knowing about God tells me it's my duty, or I can willingly, even anxiously, choose to serve God because I love Him.

Love:  Jesus said the greatest of all commandments is to love God with everything that is in me. Can I love someone that way if I don't really know them?  Today we see lots of people who are infatuated with celebrities they have never met.  Is that love?  Of course not.  Love requires that we get to know someone and develop a relationship with them.

I have a feeling that quite a lot of Christians are satisfied just to know about God.  We learn about Him by being in church, maybe remembering things we learned as a child in Sunday School. We may even pick up our Bible once in a while.  It's no wonder we are far from experiencing the abundant life that Jesus said is available to us as children of God.  

By contrast, what an amazing life God has in store for us if we communicate with God and learn to trust Him and worship Him and develop a close loving relationship with Him.  God has a wonderful life for us if we are willing to go beyond knowing about Him, and really come to know Him in a personal intimate way.  It's our choice.  What have you chosen?