I will never

Peter declared to Him, Though they all are offended and stumble and fall away because of You [and distrust and desert You], I will never do so. Matthew 26:33 AMP

Sometimes in our lives we can be so absolutely certain in our own strength that we will not do something, that our judgement can become clouded. We are so full of our own way of thinking or doing, that we ignore the guidance of God, or the Holy Spirit. Later in Matthew we read this about Peter,

And Peter remembered Jesus' words, when He had said, Before a single rooster crows, you will deny and disown Me three times, And he went outside and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:75  AMP

It can be a humbling experience when you have declared something (public or private) and then do the opposite, particularly in public. There are many areas in life where we set expectations of ourselves. For example, marriage, I never be disrespectful to my spouse; parenting, I will never yell at my child;  work, I will never be self-serving in the workplace. We set these expectations, completely forgetting we are human. We are not perfect.  

Often when the realisation comes that we did the 'I will never', we too like Peter weep (or at least are disappointed in ourselves) as we are confronted with our imperfectness. And that is where Jesus wants us. Jesus wants us to recognise our short-comings and acknowledge that He is the answer to our becoming complete.

His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church), [That is might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature and of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him. Ephesians 4:12-13 AMP

Question for today, is there an area in your life (or more than one) in which you have declared, 'I will never ...' , but you have not been able keep that declaration? Take time today to talk to God about that, confess, repent, ask for forgiveness, receive and accept His forgiveness. Let the Holy Spirit minister to you, graciously showing you the next step for moving toward maturity in that area. Be encouraged, He is on your side.

Finally, brethren, farewell (rejoice)! Be strengthened (perfected, completed, made what you ought to be); be encouraged and consoled and comforted; be of the same [agreeable] mind one with another; live in peace, and [then] the God of love [Who is the Source of affection, goodwill, love, and benevolence toward men] and the Author and Promoter of peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 AMP