Peter's Betrayal

Peter's Betrayal

We can feel like failures when we lack courage—when we wish we would’ve spoken up about the thing we stayed quiet about, or we regret a choice we made out of fear.  

Peter’s betrayal of Jesus is another example of failure in the Bible. Peter and Jesus were tight. It wasn’t a casual acquaintance. Peter was a dedicated disciple of Jesus. So much so, that Jesus called him the foundation on which he’d build the church (Matthew 16:18). 

Yet, when Jesus was seized by the authorities and on track for his eventual execution, Peter’s concern for his own safety seemed to overtake any sense of loyalty he felt towards Jesus. Peter denied even knowing Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. 

Peter’s story doesn’t end with his betrayal of Jesus though—or even his bitter tears when he realized the gravity of what he’d done (Luke 22:62). Peter still becomes a founding leader of the early church, just as Jesus promised. 

Instead of wallowing in his failure, Peter found a way to trust Jesus’ promise that he would be a great leader of the church. He didn’t walk into that role perfectly qualified for it, or full of great courage. We’re sure it was a bumpy road getting there…but ultimately, Peter’s failure did not define his story.  

Failure doesn’t have to define your story, either.  

So don’t give up. Don’t be afraid of failure, or believe that it’s the end of your story. Believe that your mistakes and your failure are all part of your journey of God working in you to refine you and make you more like him. God is bigger than your failure.