We love the idea that God is preparing us for something greater.
What we don't love nearly as much is discovering how He may prepare us for it.
In Matthew 4 Jesus said to Peter: “I will make you.”
Peter wasn't ready in Matthew 4 to carry what he would eventually carry in Acts 2. Jesus had to increase his capacity.
But increasing your capacity isn't always about adding something to your life. Sometimes Jesus has to remove something.
There were things in Peter that couldn't go where Jesus was taking him.
And there may be things in us that can't either.
PETER DIDN'T JUST NEED MORE
We usually think about growth in terms of addition.
I need more faith, wisdom, knowledge, discipline, confidence and more experience. And sometimes we do.
But Peter didn't simply need more of something.
He needed less of some things too.
For example, Peter certainly needed faith.
But he also needed less confidence in Peter.
Before Jesus was arrested, Peter made an incredibly confident statement:
“Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.”
Matthew 26:33 NLT
That sounds courageous.
But just a few hours later, Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus.
Peter didn't know Peter as well as he thought he did. And Jesus knew that Peter's self-confidence could not carry the responsibility that was coming.
So Peter had to discover something painful about himself.
He wasn't as strong as he thought he was. That's not rejection. That's development.
JESUS DIDN'T REMOVE PETER'S PERSONALITY
Peter was also impulsive.
He got out of boats, spoke when everyone else was quiet and even corrected Jesus.
Peter was willing to act.
Sometimes that was a strength, other times it was a disaster.
But notice what Jesus did. He didn't turn Peter into someone else.
The Peter who stood up on the Day of Pentecost was still bold.
He was still willing to speak when others weren’t. He was still willing to step forward.
Jesus didn't remove Peter's boldness. He brought Peter's boldness under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
That's an important distinction.
Jesus isn't trying to erase your personality. He's transforming it.
Some of your greatest weaknesses may actually be strengths that haven't yet been surrendered to Christ.
Confidence can become arrogance.
But surrendered confidence can become courage.
Sensitivity can become insecurity.
But surrendered sensitivity can become compassion.
Determination can become stubbornness.
But surrendered determination can become perseverance.
Leadership can become control.
But surrendered leadership can become influence that serves others.
Maybe Jesus doesn't want to eliminate something in you.
Maybe He wants to redeem it.
WHAT KEEPS SHOWING UP?
Here's where this gets uncomfortable. What does Jesus keep putting His finger on in your life?
Is it anger, insecurity, your need for approval, pride, your need to control everything, how you respond when you're criticized, or what happens when you don't get your way?
Maybe it's your inability to wait.
Maybe it's something you've excused for years by saying: “That's just how I am.”
Peter could have said that.
“I'm just outspoken.”
“I'm just passionate.”
“I'm just a take-charge person.”
But “that's just how I am” isn't a very good argument when Jesus says, “I will make you.”
Following Jesus means giving Him permission to challenge what we've accepted about ourselves.
WHAT WORKS HERE MAY DESTROY YOU THERE
This may be the part we miss.
Something you can get away with at your current level of responsibility may become incredibly destructive with greater influence.
A little pride becomes dangerous when thousands of people listen to you.
So we pray: “God, give me more.”
And perhaps sometimes God responds: “First, let's deal with this.”
Not because He's against us. Because He knows where He's taking us.
Hebrews 12:6 says: “For the LORD disciplines those he loves...”
Correction isn't always punishment.
Sometimes correction is preparation.
DON'T WASTE THE CORRECTION
So here's something worth asking yourself today: What keeps showing up in my life that Jesus may be trying to change?
Don't immediately defend it or excuse it.
Don't blame someone else for triggering it.
Instead ask: What is this costing me now?
Then ask the harder question: What could this cost me later?
If God answered some of your biggest prayers tomorrow, would the person you are today be able to carry the answer well?
That's a difficult question.
But it's an important one.
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