Broken Self-Talk
Self-Incrimination – Part 1

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:69-75

Key Verse: Matthew 26:75

Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Most of us know the story of the Apostle Peter’s denial of Jesus.  Undoubtedly, this denial was not out of a failure of faith but fear.  Peter never denounced his faith in Christ.  Peter simply lost courage to stand up for his faith.  As God looked into Peter’s heart, He saw that faith was still intact!  God also understood Peter’s lack of inner power that would come when the Spirit filled him a few weeks later at Pentecost.

Think with me about Peter’s self-talk after he failed Jesus.  Our scripture for today reminds us that Peter ran out and “wept bitterly.”  It is not hard for me to imagine Peter’s self-talk; things like: “I’m such a coward,” or “What a loser,” or “I will never make a good follower of Christ.”  These may not be the exact terms Peter said of himself, but I would imagine they capture his feelings about himself.

Have you used words like those describing yourself?  I certainly have!  I’ve wept bitterly over failures in my walk with God!  Failures are the major reason for our broken self-talk.  Many of us get very hard on ourselves, but this does not please God.  Our human reasoning must think that, after a failure, God wants this self-loathing.  He doesn’t!  He wants us to truly repent and then develop a plan for success!  (Continued)

Father, may I draw energy from your long suffering and steadfast love for me, even when I fail.  In Jesus’ name, amen.