0104 为什么我现在不能跟随你？
彼得说， 主啊，我为什么现在不能跟你去，我愿意为你舍命。」《约翰福音13:37》
有时候你不明白为什么不能做你想要做的事情。当神带来等候时期，并且看起来似乎没有回应时，不要用忙碌来填满这段时间，只要等候。等候的时光或许是来教导你成圣的意义 ，就是从罪中分别出来，成为圣洁；或许在成圣过程开始之后，它开始教导你服事的意义。不要在神给你指示之前就开跑。如果你有丝毫疑虑，那祂就不是在引导。每当疑惑时，要等侯。
起初你可能清楚明白神的旨意，断绝某段友谊、终止某个商务关系、或者某些你感到明显是神的旨意要你去做之事。但绝不可凭感觉冲动行事；如果你如此行，就会引发艰难的情况，那需要多年时间才能解开。等候神的时间，祂会在没有任何伤心或失望下作成一切。当对神护佑的旨意有疑问时，要等候神，再采取行动。
彼得没有等候神，他在心里预测试炼将会在哪里临到，但那却在他意想不到的时候来到。「我会为你舍命。」彼得的宣告是真诚但愚昧的。「耶稣回答说：『 …鸡叫以先，你要三次不认我。』」 （约翰福音13:38）。神对彼得的认识，比彼得对自己的认识更深，所以才如此说。他不能跟随耶稣，因为他还不够认识自己和自己的能力。天然的热爱或许足以吸引我们跟随耶稣，让我们感受到祂不可抗拒的魅力，但那永远不会使我们成为门徒。天然的热爱会否认耶稣，始终达不到真正跟随祂的意义。
当一个人的心与神是正确的时候，圣经中神秘的言语对他来说就是灵和生命。属灵的真理对纯净的心灵是可辨识的，而非对敏锐的智力。这不是智力深度的问题，而是心灵的纯洁。《引领儿子进入荣耀》
0104 Why Can I Not Follow You Now?
Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now?” —John 13:37
There are times when you can’t understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don’t fill it with busyness, just wait. The time of waiting may come to teach you the meaning of sanctification— to be set apart from sin and made holy— or it may come after the process of sanctification has begun to teach you what service means. Never run before God gives you His direction. If you have the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt— wait.
At first you may see clearly what God’s will is— the severance of a friendship, the breaking off of a business relationship, or something else you feel is distinctly God’s will for you to do. But never act on the impulse of that feeling. If you do, you will cause difficult situations to arise which will take years to untangle. Wait for God’s timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment. When it is a question of the providential will of God, wait for God to move.
Peter did not wait for God. He predicted in his own mind where the test would come, and it came where he did not expect it. “I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Peter’s statement was honest but ignorant. “Jesus answered him, ‘…the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times’ ” (John 13:38). This was said with a deeper knowledge of Peter than Peter had of himself. He could not follow Jesus because he did not know himself or his own capabilities well enough. Natural devotion may be enough to attract us to Jesus, to make us feel His irresistible charm, but it will never make us disciples. Natural devotion will deny Jesus, always falling short of what it means to truly follow Him.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
When a man’s heart is right with God the mysterious utterances of the Bible are spirit and life to him. Spiritual truth is discernible only to a pure heart, not to a keen intellect. It is not a question of profundity of intellect, but of purity of heart. Bringing Sons Unto Glory, 231 L