Last year, my friend Shauna Wallace encouraged us to be bold by being ourselves. I’m happy to welcome Shauna back to the #BeBoldGirl series to hear how she continues to walk this out by faith.
I so relate to Jesus’ disciple Peter: bold, passionate, sometimes rash, saying and promising some pretty impressive things Jesus corrects and rebukes. I’m just like him! The fact that Jesus mightily uses Peter in spite of his well-intentioned but misguided escapades gives me great hope as I continue learning how to be boldly me. See if you relate too.
When Jesus miraculously walks on squalling waters to reach His disciples’ boat, they fear He’s a ghost. Ever the bold one, Peter challenges Jesus to prove Himself by commanding him to walk on water too. Jesus does, and Peter walks on water! Until boisterous winds frighten him. As he sinks, Jesus reaches out and catches him, saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” (Matthew 14:24-31).
How many times does my faith falter at the first sign of circumstantial instability and Jesus rescues me, saying, “O you of little faith! Why do you doubt?”
When Jesus foretells His suffering, death and resurrection, look at Peter’s and Jesus’ bold exchange:
Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (Matthew 16:22-23). (ESV)
How many times do I take Jesus aside and insist I know better than Him because I’m mindful of the things of men and not of God?
What about when Peter adamantly insists he won’t deny Jesus even if he has to die (Matthew 26:35), and then he denies Jesus three times (Matthew 26:57-75)? In the heat of an uncomfortable or threatening moment, how many times do I do exactly what I swear I won’t?
I guess being like Peter is part of being boldly who God made me to be; it’s also boldly being who He’s calling me to be regardless of His plans for anyone else. Even if my path looks completely different and I think I want their path instead of mine!
In this last example, Jesus’ words to Peter cut like a knife (in a good way, like a scalpel cutting out a cancerous tumor). Jesus is resurrected but not yet ascended and shows Himself to His disciples. He asks Peter three times if he loves Him, to which Peter responds, “You know that I love You.” When Jesus prophecies Peter’s violent death, what does Peter do? He turns and looks at John and wants to know, “But Lord, what about this man?” (John 21:21).
Oh my gosh!!! I do this too!!! The Lord tells me what He requires of me and I say super holy things like:
But Lord, what about that person?!?! What are you going to require of them?
Why don’t they have to do what You’re telling me to do?!?!
Why can’t I do what’s okay for them?
Why are they experiencing the success I want? Why aren’t You doing for me what You’re doing for them?
Do you ever do that too?
Jesus’ answer to Peter is His answer to us:
“If I will that he (John) remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me” (John 21:22). (ESV)
What is it to you, Shauna, what I do or require of another? You follow Me.
Part of being boldly me – part of you being boldly you – is boldly doing the things the Lord asks specifically of us, even if He’s not asking anyone else. Even if it means following alone, risking faith, believing something no one else can see, believe or understand, or doing something that appears foolish.
Sometimes like Peter we will boldly stumble, and Jesus will rebuke and redirect us. But like He did for Peter at Pentecost, Jesus sends His power upon us to boldly follow Him, boldly speak His word, boldly testify of Him, and boldly be exactly who He made us to be for His exact purpose and plan.
Be bold, girl, knowing God will boldly do what no one else can in us so He can boldly do what we could never do without Him!
Early in life, Shauna Wallace became an expert at learning things the hard way! In her thirties, she started approaching God’s word as a way of life and experiencing His faithfulness as a matter of fact. Now, she hopes her hard lessons can become another’s blessings! By sharing scriptural truths through the lens of her life story, she longs to see women love Jesus more, draw nearer, go deeper, believe bigger and live freer! Wife to James and Mama to four high school and adult children plus a “son-in-love,” home is Shauna’s happy place. There you’ll find her juggling her many hats, including home schooling and helping out with the family-owned custom home building business, all while setting aside the wee hours of the day to be in God’s presence, study her Bible and write. Her newest Bible study 30 Days to Living a God Life not Just a Good Life for individual and group study is now available on amazon.com. You can follow her blog and learn more about her other books at shaunawallace.com.
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Linking up with Holly Barrett at #TestimonyTuesday and Holley Gerth at #CoffeeForYourHeart