23 Sep Works in Progress

I’m currently reading Judges and Matthew together as part of my scripture reading and yesterday it so happened that I read about Samson in Judges and Peter’s denial in Matthew on the same day. The one similarity that struck me about these two figures is that their failures are brought into sharp focus, respectively, in their stories. But while in both cases it seems like their story has come to an end at their undoing — Samson being betrayed to the Philistines and Peter deserting Jesus in disgrace — we know it’s not the end.

In Samson’s case, while for most of his life he wasted his God-given strength acting impulsively for self-serving purposes, in a final moment of faith he explicitly called on God for strength to bring down the temple and thereby fulfil his purpose of beginning to restore Israel from Philistine. In Peter’s case, while he fearfully denied Jesus when he was accused of knowing him, he went on to courageously and faithfully spread the word fulfilling Jesus’ commission for him to be the founder of the Christian church.

Similarly in our own lives, when we fail in our walks of faith, we needn’t despair in that failure, because it is not the end of our story, and the word reassures us of this, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6 NIV)

Samson and Peter’s stories have helped me to remember three things in reflecting on my own life with the above scripture in mind.

We are chosen, even with our failures

God was not surprised by any of Samson’s mistakes, not even when he told Delilah how to weaken him, just as He wasn’t surprised by Peter’s denial. Yet knowing this, He chose them anyway. The same is true of you and I. When we fail to do the right thing, or we stumble in our faith, we can take comfort that He chose us, died for us and called us knowing that we would still fail even when we chose Him and professed our faith in Him. A good friend reminded me of this, though in a much blunter way through a common saying, ‘When God wrote the plan for your life he factored in your stupidity.’ What a relief it is to hear when I think back on some of my poor decisions even when I was living in faith!

We don’t need to make ourselves perfect for Him to love and accept us, we are perfect by His sacrifice, yet He wants and has called us to something greater in our lives which requires us to change, “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14 NIV.

Our failures are a testimony

What makes the stories of Samson and Peter so strong, is that it shows the stark difference between their earlier failures and their final transformation. While Samson lived his life boasting of his strength and using it to settle grudges or get revenge, his final act of strength was humbling himself before God and asking for the strength to be used in an act of self-sacrifice. While Peter deserted Jesus by the simple accusation of a servant girl, after living a life in service to Jesus, he eventually went on willingly to be executed for his faith.

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.” 1 Timothy 4:15.

Progress is indeed evident in the lives of Samson and Peter, and it is specifically progress from their failures. In this light, we have an opportunity when we fail to not see it as something to dismay us, but rather something to encourage us as we look forward to when we are faced with similar circumstances that led to our failures, reflecting on how we will act differently. In this way, those who witness your failings, will also witness the progress and triumph of these failings, pointing to the work of grace in your life.

We are not alone

“Now may the God of peace… equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ…” Hebrews 13:20–21 NIV.

Living in the presence of the Holy Spirit is what sharpens our character. It was when Samson humbled himself before God and acknowledged from Whom he received his strength, that he showed the greatest strength of his life. It was when Peter had seen the risen Jesus, resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit and lived by that same spirit from the moment of Pentecost, that he was no longer fearful of death, but instead embraced a life in service to Jesus, even in death.

What we learn from Samson and Peter, is that it’s when we depend on God for our strength, and when we live in the power of the Holy Spirit, that we are transformed. God does not expect us to do it alone, and that is specifically why Jesus said that He would send to us His helper. It is through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, that we live in God’s strength and not our own, and it is the Holy Spirit that brings about our progress, which is the biggest testimony to the power of Jesus.

How is your progress?

I’d like to invite you to join me in an exercise I’m doing this week: write down any recent (or past) failures, big or small. Then reflect on how you would like to respond next time you face similar circumstances, and pray for the Holy Spirit’s help when that moment comes. As part of this, take time to reflect on each fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22–23 — Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control — and consider which are thriving in you, and which need nurturing.

Angela Chiaberta

I am a volunteer blogger with a passion for God and writing. My hope is to help others choose faith – or to walk deeper in their faith – through my own introspections and observations.