Faith and Failure

John 14 is one of those chapters I find myself coming to again and again. Jesus’ words are just so full of comfort:

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.” (v.1)

But that verse does not stand alone—neither does the chapter. It is part of a bigger conversation, in which Jesus spoke those specific words in reply to something Peter said. Look at what comes just before those words of comfort:

“Simon Peter said unto Him, Lord, whither goest Thou?

Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

Peter said unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now? I will lay down my life for Thy sake.

Jesus answered him. Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice.” (13:36-38)

Before this conversation, Jesus has been explaining to His disciples that He will not be with them much longer. In fact, He would be arrested and taken away to His crucifixion later that same night.

But Peter picked up on the fact that Jesus said He was going away, and imagine his sorrow at the thought that he could not go with Jesus. His question isn’t one of sheer ignorance or just not getting it—he was likely grieved at the thought of parting with his Lord. (And can you blame him?)

And just as you or I might have done, Peter made an assumption. He assumed that he was being left behind or barred from wherever it was that Jesus was going. It seems as if he might have thought he was being left out because of some kind of fault Jesus had found in him. So he tried to clear this up by announcing his loyalty. He would follow Jesus even to the death. No need to leave Peter behind, he was willing to go anywhere and face anything for Jesus!

Now imagine how Peter felt when Jesus told him what was really going to happen when his faith was tested. It must have felt like a punch to the gut when Jesus told him he would actually deny Him—not once, but three times—that very night.

And it is at that point, in response to this revelation of Peter’s failure, that Jesus gives these words of comfort:

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” (John 14:1-4)

This response to the true state of Peter’s faith and loyalty tells us a lot about the heart of God. Jesus meets Peter’s failure with words of hope. Yes, Peter would deny Jesus, but that wasn’t to be the end of Peter’s relationship with God. You and I will also fail in our relationship with God, and yet that isn’t the end. Jesus Himself said,

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” (John 10:28)

Just like Peter, we are given eternal life—and that eternal life is based on the strength of Christ’s grip, not our own. Jesus gave Peter a reassurance of the permanence of his place in the coming “mansions” of His Father’s house—even though He just finished telling Peter how he would fail the coming test of faith. Jesus knows about our failures. He is eternal, seeing all of time at once. He forgives us, knowing exactly what that forgiveness will entail as we continue to live as sinners saved by grace—but not yet free from our sin nature.

Notice also that Jesus prepared Peter for restoration, by giving him the hope of heaven. Failure is never God’s desire for us, but He loves us even in the midst of our failures. He gives us the joy of knowing that there is a day coming when our battle will be done, and we will be able to rest in His presence forever.

But Jesus also gave Peter something to cling to in the wake of his failure. Yes, Peter would fail. Jesus knew that, and notice what He told Peter: “Let not your heart be troubled.”

I don’t know about you, but if Jesus told me that I was going to fail Him three times before the night was done, my heart would be troubled! But look at the reason Jesus gives Peter for not being troubled:

“ye believe in God, believe also in Me.”

Instead of focusing on his failure, Jesus pointed to Peter’s faith. He did believe in God the Father—he would deny out of fear, but yet in his heart still believe in Jesus, God the Son.

Jesus also gives Peter the assurance that, although he would fail, although he could not follow Jesus in death on the cross that next day, there was a way to the place He was going—and not only was there a way, Peter already knew the way.

You might be asking, “What way is that?” Well, one of the other disciples asked that very thing:

“Thomas saith unto Him, Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (vv.5-6)

There is more to the conversation between Jesus and His disciples, but before you go look up John 14 and read the rest, stop for a moment and think about what this answer meant to Peter—and what it means to us.

Peter—who was about to deny Jesus—already knew the way back to the presence of God. It was Christ Himself. You and I also know the way back to God’s presence in the wake of failure: it is still Christ Himself.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

After Jesus’ resurrection, the women who first came to the tomb and found it empty were told by the angel to go and tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus had risen from the dead. (Mark 16:7) Jesus also took Peter aside and spoke with him after His resurrection. Much could be said about that conversation, but although Peter came face to face with his own lack of Christlike love for Jesus, he was also restored to service for the Lord, being given the command to “Feed My sheep.” (John 21:15-18)

Peter had failed. He had denied the Lord exactly how Jesus had told him he would. And yet, Jesus did not reject him, but forgave and restored him.

Dear Reader, have you failed God? Read Jesus’ words to Peter and remember: failure is not the end. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life: the way back to the presence of God is through Christ Himself. Take your failure to Him, let Him restore you and recommission you for service in His kingdom. Then read His words of comfort, knowing that they are as true for you as they were to Peter or Thomas (who would famously doubt the resurrection till he saw Christ in person) or any other child of God.

There is permanence in our relationship with God, there is hope, there is restoration, and there is consolation. Run to God, and yield to His way, His truth, and His life. Turn from failure to faith, and press on to victory through Christ!

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:13-14)