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Overcoming Resistance

| 1:40 min read |

Change is a key part of life. Somewhere I read that failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change can be! I agree. When something needs to change in us, we’re foolish to avoid it. We’re also foolish to resist it.

Resistance to change is a big problem with lots of people. For a variety of reasons, we push change away from us. We put up walls against it.

This was the case with the apostle Peter. On the Thursday evening, before Jesus was crucified, Jesus spent time with His disciples around a meal. After dinner, Jesus did something astounding. He got up and began washing the feet of His 12 closest followers. He was giving them an example of true leadership. He wanted to change the way they thought about loving and serving one another.

When Jesus came to Peter, Peter resisted. Look at his reaction in John 13:6-9 (NIV) “He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus replied, ‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’”

Peter’s first response to Jesus’ plan to wash his feet was resistance. Peter’s resistance almost cost him one of his most precious experiences with His Savior. Jesus confronted Peter’s resistance in a very firm but loving way, and Peter changed his mind. Peter then allowed the Lord to do what He wanted to do in his life.

Where are you resisting Jesus’ plans? What price are you paying for your resistance? What good things is resistance robbing of your life?

Pastor Dale