Weakness of Will

The Apostle Peter seems to have had a problem with the ‘Not Me Syndrome,’ that inability to see ourselves with weaknesses needing the LORD’s touch to get us through. Just before Jesus warned Peter that Peter was about to not live up to Peter’s expectation of being sure about himself, Jesus gave Peter a more important insight:

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” ¹ 

Jesus is warning Peter that there are influences and circumstances Peter is not aware of and flaws in his self-assurance that leave him susceptible to failures he cannot imagine. Peter saw himself capable of doing whatever he intended but we all can be surprised by our gaps.

Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” ²
Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” ³
Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” ⁴

Peter’s confidence is in himself even if Jesus isn’t there to strengthen him and he will soon have a very hard lesson. Before the sun comes up again, his ‘ready to go with You’ and his denial of Jesus not once but three times, will break him. Just how confident are we in ourselves? Peter wasn’t the only one to have too much confidence in himself,

But he [Peter] said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. ⁵

… “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.”
“This man is one of them.” But again he denied it.
“Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the rooster crowed
And he broke down and wept. ⁶

None of us like to admit our frailty, our inability to stay the course, to follow-through on what we intend. Circumstances plus our own weaknesses get between us and the strengthening of the LORD. And sometimes, we need to fail to see we are not sufficient in ourselves to serve God His way. Peter had another moment with Jesus after the resurrection which was less dramatic but just as vital. The scene is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, the disciples have spent the night fishing and come morning, Jesus calls them to shore for breakfast.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. … And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” ⁷

You would think that was enough said but Peter apparently missed the ‘keep your eyes on Me and do what I have given you’ message for he gets distracted from applying Jesus’s words to himself. He tries to deflect attention to John (John is the writer of this account):

When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” ⁸

Isn’t that just like us when the LORD is trying to focus us on Himself and we try to turn attention on someone else, so we don’t feel so exposed before the LORD. But, God is not trying to diminish us in His Kingdom but rather make way for the fullness of His work in and through us. His warnings, corrections, even enabling’s are to further our fullness and fruitfulness in Him. Today.