Have you ever made a mistake and wondered if you would recover? Has your past seemed so dark that you doubted light would ever shine through? Sometimes we can believe our situation is so detrimental and we will never turn it around. Thankfully, there is a way out. We can leave our place of sadness and return to the Light.
The Story: John 21:1-17
In John 21:1-17, Peter and the other disciples were together at the Sea of Galilee. Peter decided to go fishing alone; however, the other disciples joined him. The men fished all night until the breaking of day but caught nothing. As they fished, Jesus stood on the shore. Although the men didn’t recognize Him, Jesus called out to them and asked if they had any fish. They responded no. Jesus told them to cast their net to the right side of the boat.
After following the instructions of the unknown man, the disciples couldn’t haul in the net because of the large amount of fish. John, who was among them, recognized that the man was Jesus and notified the others. When Peter heard this, he jumped out of the boat and swam to shore. When the other disciples joined Jesus and Peter on the shore, they ate together. After they finished eating, Jesus asked Peter three times if Peter loved Him with complete commitment and devotion. Each time, Peter replied yes, and with each response, Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep.
The Lesson
From the passage, we see the interaction between Jesus and Peter. Although Jesus appeared to the disciples earlier after His resurrection, Peter still felt some type of way about denying Jesus. Peter didn’t preach the gospel even though Jesus told him that he would be the rock on which the church was built (Matthew 16:18). Instead, he returned to what he knew.
How often do we make a mistake and think we’re no longer qualified for the assignment of God? In these moments, we compare ourselves to God. We believe He threw us away like we do to other people. However, God throws our sin into the lake of forgetfulness (Micah 7:19). He doesn’t rehearse our errors because He doesn’t think like we do (Isaiah 55:8-9). Since God released us from the mistake, we should release ourselves.
Like Peter, we need to return to the Light. Jump out of the mistake and swim to the One who’s on the shore waiting for us. We aren’t so far gone that God doesn’t want us (Jeremiah 3:14-15). As we return, Jesus confirms our assignment. This confirmation signals the forgiveness of God and our ability to fulfill His plan.
**If your despair or mistakes seem too overwhelming for you to overcome, please contact a professional. You are worth the help.**
