The journey has me seeing things about myself which I now realize are the realities of living in a fallen world–a world of sin. It is filled with man’s selfish nature and man’s selfish desires. It also is a world of the frailties of man caught in his sin. I write this because when we try to step out of this way of living on our own strength we keep stumbling and tripping up.

When Simon Peter denied Christ as Christ had predicted, it was Peter’s wake-up to his weak flesh. The Bible doesn’t tell us at this point what Peter did to become The Rock which Christ told him he would “be”. He wouldn’t “do” a Rock”, but he would be one. He would be solid in his stand for Christ. We do know that Christ confronted Peter that early morning when he had gone out in the boat to fish and caught nothing. When Peter recognized Christ was the one on the shore he jumped into the water and quickly went to Him. It was there that Christ asked him the three questions, “Do you love Me?”

Somewhere along the timeline Peter became the Rock Christ was making him to be. The journey I am on, and each of us are on as we follow Christ’s leadership in our lives, is helping me see who I am in Christ. It is here that I “am”. As I recognize this more and more and surrender to this more and more, I finally awaken to the folly of my efforts to “do” for Christ. “Be”ing a new creation doesn’t come from my efforts, it comes from my surrender. I learn to hear The Holy Spirit’s voice within and receive it as my “Commander’s charge”.