"Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."
When I read this verse, it hit me hard. If I have courage like Peter, then this will be me too. If I stretch out my arms, Jesus will dress me and lead me where I don't want to go. I am speaking of my upcoming marriage. Jesus is leading me toward a much more difficult life. Single life is easy, I don't have to compromise, I do what I want when I want, I spend my money as I choose, I make decisions based on what I want and what is best for me. It is easy and relatively stress free. In marriage there is compromise, there is stress and tension, decisions can no longer be made base soley on what I want. In short, it is the more difficult path.
Based on this analysis, it would seem obvious to not get married and live my comfortable single life. However, God does not want the easy way for us, but the best way. If the path to heaven was through a comfortable, easy life then God wouldn't have sent His Son to suffer and die on the cross as an example for us to follow. Easy is not best.
I have been struggling mightily with fear about my coming marriage. Reflecting on this passage has been helpful for me. I know that to love Jesus and to follow Him, I need to live outside of my comfort zone. I know he will lead me where I don't want to go, a place where life isn't necessarily easy, but as with Peter, this will be how I glorify God. Jesus is saying to you and me as he did to Peter in the final words of this passage, "Follow me."
God, dispel my fear. Grant me strength like Peter, to be lead where I don't want to go in order to glorify you.
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