Lessons from Jonah and Peter

One of the most encouraging truths I’ve discovered through years of studying Scripture is how God never gives up on His people. The Bible isn’t filled with perfect heroes who never made mistakes but with flawed individuals who struggled, failed, and were still used mightily by God.

Recently, as we’ve transitioned from studying Jonah to beginning our series on 1 Peter, I’ve been struck by the remarkable parallels between these two men. Both were called by God to missions they initially resisted. Both had to learn difficult lessons about God’s heart for all people. And both demonstrate God’s incredible patience with slow learners.

Peter’s Rocky Start

Peter, despite being one of Jesus’ closest disciples, had a knack for getting things wrong. He rebuked Jesus when He spoke of His coming death (earning the harsh rebuke, “Get behind me, Satan!”). He fell asleep when Jesus asked him to pray. He impulsively cut off a servant’s ear during Jesus’ arrest. And perhaps most famously, he denied knowing Jesus three times.

If anyone had a rough “first act” as a disciple, it was Peter. If we’re honest, many of us can relate to this pattern. We want to follow Jesus faithfully, but we stumble. We run ahead when we should wait, or lag behind when we should follow. We misunderstand Christ’s mission and substitute our own agenda.

God’s Pattern of Patience

What encourages me most is seeing how God continues to work with Peter despite these failures. After the resurrection, Jesus specifically reinstates Peter, asking him three times if he loves Him, once for each denial. Jesus knew Peter’s weaknesses, yet still declared, “on this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18).

This mirrors God’s patience with Jonah, who literally ran in the opposite direction from God’s calling. Even at the end of the book, when Jonah is sulking about Nineveh’s repentance, God is still engaging with him, still teaching, still not giving up.

Your Next Act

I don’t know what “act” of your spiritual journey you’re currently in. Maybe, like Peter in his early days, you’ve accumulated a string of failures that you keep rehearsing in your mind. Maybe you started strong but now find yourself struggling with a particularly difficult lesson from God.

The good news is that God specializes in new beginnings. Peter’s “second act” saw him boldly proclaiming the gospel and seeing thousands come to faith. His “third act” involved taking that same gospel to the Gentiles, overcoming his deep-seated prejudices. And his final act was one of martyrdom, giving his life for the Savior he once denied.

God hasn’t given up on you. Your past failures don’t define you. Your current struggles don’t determine your future usefulness. The God who transformed Peter from an impulsive fisherman to a rock of the early church can write an amazing next chapter in your story, too.

Reflection

What “act” of your spiritual journey are you currently in? Have you been beating yourself up over past failures, or are you struggling with a challenging lesson God seems to be teaching you?

How does Peter’s transformation from failure to faithful leader encourage you in your own walk with Christ? Are there ways God might be preparing you for your “next act” even through your current struggles?

Which of the three women from Joshua (Rahab, Achsah, or Zelophehad’s daughters) do you relate to most in your own journey, and why? When have you experienced a moment as a mother (or from your mother) where you needed to cling to one thread of hope, boldly ask for what was needed, or fight for a future inheritance?