In John 16:31-33, the disciples were in the midst of a major life crisis that would change and challenge all of them. A crisis is defined as “a condition of instability or danger; leading to a decisive change. It is a dramatic emotional or circumstantial upheaval in a person’s life.” Jesus was headed to the cross and back to the Father. The disciples stated in verses 29-30 that now they got it, but they did not really get it. Honestly, it reveals their overconfidence. Jesus did not openly reject their flawed confession, but He clearly saw its inadequacy. Their enthusiasm was about to receive a very rude awakening.
Then Jesus addressed their overconfidence. He basically said, “Hey guys, your faith is about to be tested, and when this crisis moment occurs, you will not pass the test.” The bond that had held them together, His presence, was about to be taken from them, and soon it would be “everyone for themselves.” They would be focused on self-survival and their own safety through flight and running off into the night. Later, John would recover, and after Jesus’ resurrection, Peter would come back. Listen to the Lord’s own anguish in verse 32, “You will leave me alone.” He had already told Peter he would deny Him three times.
It must have been heart-wrenching to be told by the One you have followed for over three years, “Your faith will be tested, and you will fail.” Jesus let them know this failure would not be the end of it because their faith would triumph in the end. What a beautiful picture of His promise that, despite our failures (and they can be total failures), despite our shallow promises (and they can be many), in the end, their faith (our faith) will triumph (I Cor. 15:57). Yes, your successes develop your confidence by increasing your faith, but your failures deepen your convictions, increasing your dependence on Him.
John 14:12 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” Peter failed horribly, yet there was Pentecost. The good news is that He will guide and enable you to do great things. The bad news is that you cannot microwave the process. It has been said, “You don’t get break-thru in the drive-thru.” There is no shortcut around the time it will take to find out how faithful He can and will be. This runs counter to the discouraging mental model of how life works that contemporary Americans have. There are at least three challenges of faith that you must prepare for:
• Youthful Lusts — In your 20s and 30s, the temptation is to give in to the flesh. That is why Paul told a young Timothy to “flee youthful lusts” (II Tim. 2:22). Biologically, most human functions peak in their early 20s, and that is when an identity crisis can occur about what to do with your life. Will you live for yourself (personal pleasures and achievements), or will you accept the challenge of being who Christ has called you to be? Some people don’t pass that test; their impact plateaus or declines, and some never recover. This challenge is real for every follower and leader.
• Pride — The second crisis usually occurs in your 40s and 50s. Most, at 40, still have their youthful vigor, but now they have gained a great deal of wisdom and skill through experience. The temptation is now pride because you feel like you know what you are doing and how to do it. In ministry, you know how to have a worship service, organize ministry teams, develop programs, etc. Romans 12:3 says, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think…” Will you continue pursuing Christ passionately or decide to play it safe and be comfortable?
• Cynicism — The third life crisis occurs in your 60s, and it is cynicism. Your physical strength, stamina and looks have certainly changed, and you begin to stare your mortality in the face. Now, you have more days behind you and fewer days ahead of you. You wonder, “Is there any reason to dream anymore or just endure?” Perhaps you have been disappointed far too many times to mention. Someone betrayed your trust, a staff member stabbed you in the back or a member of your church family offended you. The very people you expected to love and encourage you let you down. It is easy to give in to negativity, cynicism and skepticism (Neh. 8:10).
You must be prepared for any one of these three life challenges to attack at any time throughout your life. The Bible doesn’t view the trajectory of a person’s life as a ballistic arc to a pathetic crash. Instead, it pictures the believer’s journey as becoming sweeter, kinder, patient, thoughtful, godlier and spiritually mature (Psalm 92:12-14). Consider life more as a series of rising stairsteps than an arc or a bell curve (I Thess. 5:23; I Peter 2:21). As you get older, the question of legacy begins to arise, but your focus should be on faithfulness, then trust God to handle what that legacy looks like.
God’s brilliant truth is that those who overcome the crises of life can actually impact more just as they begin to work less. Peak performance may be long gone, but peak impact can be one step away — trust God for how He pens it. Legacy is not something you seek or determine. Instead, it is what others say about the life of faithfulness you have lived. You must not succumb to the temptations of Hymenaeus and Alexander, who “shipwrecked their faith,” Demas, who “loved this present world… and deserted” or Diotrephes, “who loves to have the first place among them.” Let us be found faithful, serving Him with joy and passion!
