Is God ever disappointed with us? Many Christians would answer, “Yes. I feel He often is, especially with me.” What is the truth, though? Peter’s three denials of Jesus before His death on the cross speak to this question (Matthew 26:29-75). Let me recount that story in order to reveal if God is ever disappointed with us.
The Holy Spirit, who knows all things correctly, predicted through Jesus to Peter he would do this. Peter vigorously denied this as impossible, declaring he would die with Jesus rather than deny Him. Yet, Peter’s fear controlled him all three times and he did what he proclaimed as impossible.
His first denial was to a servant girl in the high priest’s courtyard who said, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” His second one was to another servant girl who bluntly said to Peter and the others in the high priest’s gateway, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” Then, his final denial was with some of those same people who confronted him with, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” This time, in anger, Peter called down curses from God and vehemently swore he didn’t know Jesus. The rooster crowed and as Peter realized what he had done, he left and wept bitterly.
There are markers for us to pay attention to between Jesus and Peter that inform us as to whether God is ever disappointed with us. First, Jesus knew Peter was going to deny Him three times. So, He wasn’t caught off guard just as He’s not when you or I sin. Second, Jesus was about to die on the cross so Peter’s sins could be forgiven.
After Jesus was resurrected, we read in John 21:15-19 how Jesus spoke with Peter about his denials. The summary is that Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times and responded to feed, care for, and oversee Jesus’s sheep (Christians and churches).
Jesus didn’t say nor imply that He was disappointed with Peter’s denials. Instead, Jesus asked Peter something He already knew. Do you love me? Jesus asked this for Peter’s sake not His own. In addition, He told Peter to keep following Him by fulfilling the specific mission He had for Peter.
What does this have to do with whether God is ever disappointed with us? He already knows every sin we will ever commit and has already forgiven us on the cross. Though we may be disappointed with ourselves at times and even cry over certain sins, none of them will ever surprise God. Therefore, He can’t be disappointed with us.
Jesus’s desire for each of us, after we sin and wish we had not, is for us to know that we are still loved and accepted by Him. We are also assured that our new heart in Him has never stopped loving Him. It’s who we are. He also wants to express Himself through us to accomplish the unique mission He has for us even after we have sinned. Our restoration with Jesus was settled by His death, burial, and resurrection. All of this assures us that we are never a disappointment to Jesus.
You may be disappointed with yourself when you sin, but Jesus never will be! Forgive yourself and keep moving forward, trusting Him.
Live Free in Christ!
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
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