SEEING IT FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE

 'From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”  Matthew 16:21-23. 

Are you blaming Peter? There are many of us who have done the same thing and will do it again. Imagine the Almighty Jesus who fed them when they were hungry (Matthew 14:13-21), the one who paid Peter's tax when he was broke (Matthew 27:24-27), and healed his mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15). What is your expectation of Peter's response? He perceived things from his own point of view, but never comprehended the reason why Jesus came to this world. “The one who practices sin [separating himself from God, and offending Him by acts of disobedience, indifference, or rebellion] is of the devil [and takes his inner character and moral values from him, not God]; for the devil has sinned and violated God’s law from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil’ 1 John 3:8 (Amp). Despite the brethren weeping and urging Paul not to go to Jerusalem due to the prophecy that he would be chained and imprisoned, Paul replied that he was ready to die for the Gospel of Christ (Acts 21:10-12).

It is impossible to see things from God's point of view without reasoning like Him and knowing His way, which is impossible without studying His Word, spending time in His presence, and doing what the Word says. John 15:15 says 'No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you’. 

As you come closer to God, he will reveal his secrets to you, and you will no longer struggle with Him and fight His purpose while believing you are doing Him good.

If you're not His friend, then how can He tell you His secret? Accepting Christ as your Lord and Saviour is the first step toward becoming a son (John 15:6-7).