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When We Get It Wrong: Peter, Christ and Our Path Through Failure
A study of Peter and Christ which brings the hope of forgiveness and renewed usefulness for the times when we get it wrong and mess up in our Christian life.
112 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 1969
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 17, 2022
This was a breath of fresh air. Best book I’ve read since Life Together. Highly recommended to all weary, sin-burdened, guilt-ridden saints who feel deep down that they’re failing at “discipleship”.
December 3, 2017
An excellent book, and easy, enjoyable read (93 pages).
I was first given this book shortly after it was published by my pastor as an encouragement to me after repenting of a grievous season of sin and degradation. Along with chapter 4 of Bryan Chapell's book, "Holiness by Grace" - a chapter titled, "Repentance that Sings" - this book was a balm to my broken soul, and one that I've returned to periodically to remind myself of some of the excellent things that are said.
With a balance of grace and faithfulness, Pastor Dominic Smart speaks truth from the Word of God to a weathered and weary soul. Often, as was the case with me, a journey out of sin as a Christian may also be a journey out of legalism. Legalism either puffs you up or strips you bare behind the scenes - and usually does both. Dominic tackles this drive to make ourselves acceptable to God in the first chapter. Legalism makes us task-oriented rather than relationship-oriented. We become motivated by a kind of insecurity, not love, and tend to always be falling behind and coming up short. "Union with Christ" is the theme from front to back - in fact, in a beautiful Appendix are listed all the 120 verses in the NT that speak our being "in Christ."
Let me just quote a couple very meaningful excerpts for me:
Page 20-21, "We sometimes think that Jesus is really close to us when we're being successful, when everything is going well, when we're on some kind of 'roll'. 'Lord because you are so thrilled with me you must be right by me now. This is wonderful, Jesus and me! This really is the best combination, this really is how it should be.' We miss the point that when Jesus reached out and lifted Simon Peter's life onto a completely different level, transforming his life forever, he met him at the point of futile, profitless toil, tiredness, and inevitable self-doubt. The point where you feel lowest and most useless, the point where you find yourself praying 'Lord, get me out of the way will you?', is precisely the point where Jesus reaches out to you and begins to lift your life and transform your service, opening your eyes to the wonderful truth that the best thing we can bring to God is a pair of empty hands. 'Here I am Lord. I'm not much good at this. I know that you've given me gifts and abilities, but I'm really not even very good at using those.'"
Page 46, "it is an irony, strange to our neat, logic-chopping modern Christian mind, that Peter's 'faith not failing' did not show itself in sinlessness. Jesus did not pray that Peter wouldn't sin. He was praying that Peter would turn back. And that's how we know that Jesus really did mean for Peter to go through this sifting, devastating experience. Our eyes are open to something of the awesome and mysterious sovereignty of God here. Somehow, within his sovereignty, Christ is going to let Peter lose a battle. He's actually going to push Peter out to a point where the battle is very hot and he's going to let him lose. So that returning from this particular battle wounded, bloody, broken, utterly defeated, he can then find out how to win the war."
Page 38, "God is always preparing you for tomorrow, for tomorrow's service. None of yesterday was wasted as far as God is concerned - even the bits you think were wasted." Amen.
He refers to Gordon MacDonald's fall into adultery and his gracious resurrection through repentance (pages 53-54). The transition from his "Ordering Your Private World" to "Rebuilding Your Private World" was through the "sifting" that Peter experienced and brought a man who seemed to have it all together to shipwreck and chaos, that by "learning the depths of his own weakness" he might "learn the depths of Christ's strength" (pg. 49). This is a book about the gospel, about redemption. It's about the beauty of the grace of God in stripping us of ourselves that we might live for Him who died and rose again on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:15).
We all need to be "recalibrated" (chapter 6) from time to time. This is a great book to bring you back to the things that matter most, to revive your gratitude for the grace of God by which we stand and run. The path of holiness, in this life, is a path through failure.
Take and read and be encouraged.
I was first given this book shortly after it was published by my pastor as an encouragement to me after repenting of a grievous season of sin and degradation. Along with chapter 4 of Bryan Chapell's book, "Holiness by Grace" - a chapter titled, "Repentance that Sings" - this book was a balm to my broken soul, and one that I've returned to periodically to remind myself of some of the excellent things that are said.
With a balance of grace and faithfulness, Pastor Dominic Smart speaks truth from the Word of God to a weathered and weary soul. Often, as was the case with me, a journey out of sin as a Christian may also be a journey out of legalism. Legalism either puffs you up or strips you bare behind the scenes - and usually does both. Dominic tackles this drive to make ourselves acceptable to God in the first chapter. Legalism makes us task-oriented rather than relationship-oriented. We become motivated by a kind of insecurity, not love, and tend to always be falling behind and coming up short. "Union with Christ" is the theme from front to back - in fact, in a beautiful Appendix are listed all the 120 verses in the NT that speak our being "in Christ."
Let me just quote a couple very meaningful excerpts for me:
Page 20-21, "We sometimes think that Jesus is really close to us when we're being successful, when everything is going well, when we're on some kind of 'roll'. 'Lord because you are so thrilled with me you must be right by me now. This is wonderful, Jesus and me! This really is the best combination, this really is how it should be.' We miss the point that when Jesus reached out and lifted Simon Peter's life onto a completely different level, transforming his life forever, he met him at the point of futile, profitless toil, tiredness, and inevitable self-doubt. The point where you feel lowest and most useless, the point where you find yourself praying 'Lord, get me out of the way will you?', is precisely the point where Jesus reaches out to you and begins to lift your life and transform your service, opening your eyes to the wonderful truth that the best thing we can bring to God is a pair of empty hands. 'Here I am Lord. I'm not much good at this. I know that you've given me gifts and abilities, but I'm really not even very good at using those.'"
Page 46, "it is an irony, strange to our neat, logic-chopping modern Christian mind, that Peter's 'faith not failing' did not show itself in sinlessness. Jesus did not pray that Peter wouldn't sin. He was praying that Peter would turn back. And that's how we know that Jesus really did mean for Peter to go through this sifting, devastating experience. Our eyes are open to something of the awesome and mysterious sovereignty of God here. Somehow, within his sovereignty, Christ is going to let Peter lose a battle. He's actually going to push Peter out to a point where the battle is very hot and he's going to let him lose. So that returning from this particular battle wounded, bloody, broken, utterly defeated, he can then find out how to win the war."
Page 38, "God is always preparing you for tomorrow, for tomorrow's service. None of yesterday was wasted as far as God is concerned - even the bits you think were wasted." Amen.
He refers to Gordon MacDonald's fall into adultery and his gracious resurrection through repentance (pages 53-54). The transition from his "Ordering Your Private World" to "Rebuilding Your Private World" was through the "sifting" that Peter experienced and brought a man who seemed to have it all together to shipwreck and chaos, that by "learning the depths of his own weakness" he might "learn the depths of Christ's strength" (pg. 49). This is a book about the gospel, about redemption. It's about the beauty of the grace of God in stripping us of ourselves that we might live for Him who died and rose again on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:15).
We all need to be "recalibrated" (chapter 6) from time to time. This is a great book to bring you back to the things that matter most, to revive your gratitude for the grace of God by which we stand and run. The path of holiness, in this life, is a path through failure.
Take and read and be encouraged.
July 18, 2020
One of my biggest pet peeve is having to repeat myself or hearing something I already know multiple times... but this book was such a good reminder that the gospel never ever gets old. Sniffled & bawled & repented and amen-ed so many times throughout this little book. Perfect message from God for me during a season of my life that feels like a “detour” 😭
November 6, 2024
This was a wonderful deep dive into Peter's denial of Christ.
Two main points I'll remember from this read:
-Peter confused his sincerity with security. That resulted in him underestimating the coming battle, he's denying his weakness when he overestimates his courage.
-When Jesus was arrested Peter followed at a distance. If he had followed closely he wouldn't have had the opportunity to deny him.
Two main points I'll remember from this read:
-Peter confused his sincerity with security. That resulted in him underestimating the coming battle, he's denying his weakness when he overestimates his courage.
-When Jesus was arrested Peter followed at a distance. If he had followed closely he wouldn't have had the opportunity to deny him.
August 2, 2020
This tiny little book (less than 100 pages!) was simply phenomenal. Encouraging, filled with Scripture, pastoral, convicting and uplifting throughout. I much enjoyed reading this, although I am slightly curious to know whether I appreciated it so because of the truths preached throughout this book (definitely a major factor!) or because it was written by a former pastor of mine and someone who I've heard preach many times. My love for this book is probably influenced by my knowing Dominic, so let that bias be confessed. But this book simply speaks truth. When We Get it Wrong is kind of an odd title (although I suppose it works). I would almost title it The Sovereignty of God in our Suffering...or...The Discipline of God Which is for our Good....or...We Will Fail yet God Fails us Not....and this is why I am not in charge of picking titles for books, as those are all far more pretentious and far worse. But this small book, what is it really about? Dominic takes us through the life of Peter in a few chapters, showing how Jesus works to save Peter, how Jesus shows Peter the truth of Himself, how Jesus warns Peter of the suffering (sifting... - "I have prayed for thee, Simon, that thy faith may not fail!") that is to come, how Jesus convicts and loves Peter in the moment of his great failure, and how Jesus goes to renew Peter and encourage him and challenge him with the work that He has prepared beforehand that Peter might do. The accounts of how Jesus "disciples" or "teaches" Peter throughout are most instructive and really quite encouraging for my own life. Dominic's words throughout are very comforting (yet also exhortative!), continually reminding us that we must rest in Christ and not look to ourselves for salvation or justification in our Christian life. The idea of resting in Christ and looking to Jesus is an idea I remember Dominic often bringing out in his sermons, and it was delightful to be reminded yet again how good it is to trust in Christ for our hope and joy instead of leaning on our own devices. Dominic's voice throughout this book was warm and encouraging, but he doesn't pull any punches either, and preaches a message that is incompatible with the soft, mushy Christian life that is so in vogue in this day and age. The sovereignty of God is mightily proclaimed and it is with joy that I think that even if (when!) I am disciplined by my Father, God is doing this for my good, for His glory, Amen & Amen. I am very grateful for the encouragement this book was to my soul. A small book, but it is full of the truth of God's Word and encouragement for the weary soul. Oh what a wondrous thing it is that as children of God, we are in Christ! Let us rejoice in that glorious truth.
December 21, 2021
5.0 // I’ve read this short book before and I’m sure I will read it again. What a beautiful exploration of the goodness, sovereignty, and love of Jesus in the midst of our failures as his disciples. Dominic Smart’s focus on the rocky discipleship of Peter is rich and well worth meditating on, not because of the disciple, but because of the Lord he follows. I especially appreciated Smart’s emphasis on the disciple’s union with Christ as the foundation of the discipleship relationship, and in particular the way this necessarily involves the Christian being drawn into partnership with the work Jesus is already doing. This is a beautiful, invigorating truth that I too easily forget.
July 10, 2022
Yes. Yes. Yes. I can relate to Peter and appreciate his story but more so I love that my takeaways from this book were not about Peter at all. His story illuminates JESUS who loved and cared for Peter so well. This book highlights Christ through the story of Peter and it was a great comfort for my weary soul.
December 29, 2021
Read this book several times. Easy read. Really encouraging. The author explores the relationship of Jesus and Peter and demonstrates how Jesus anticipated and worked through Peter’s failures. A good marriage between theological and practical application.
March 25, 2009
This book emphasizes the fact that we are "in Christ." This book is about Peter, Christ, and our path through failure. As paradoxical as it seams, Peter's failure (denying Jesus three times) was used to make him a bold witness for Christ. Jesus allowed him to be sifted so that eventually he would be lifted (crucified on an upside down cross). This is a great book that explains how God can use all of our failures for His glory.
The back cover says "This arresting and provoking book prepares us for times when our walk with God goes wrong. It provides a biblical framework for understanding how God fits in with our failing him, and points to the biblical process of recovering from failure."
The back cover says "This arresting and provoking book prepares us for times when our walk with God goes wrong. It provides a biblical framework for understanding how God fits in with our failing him, and points to the biblical process of recovering from failure."
February 6, 2013
There are many books on Christian discipleship, but not many that speak honestly and biblically about failure. This is one of those rare ones... Too bad it is out of print. Looks at Peter's life and how the Lord took him through failure.
December 11, 2007
learned so much about failure in this book.
January 10, 2010
This is one of the most incredible books I have ever read. I have reread it several times
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews