Notice what Jesus didn't do for Simon!

Here is an interesting verse.  Jesus is warning Simon (Peter) that Satan is going to attack him (Simon Peter).  Take a look and then I will share a thought. 

 

Luke 22:31-33(NKJV)

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 

But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”

 

Notice what Jesus does for Simon.  Jesus prays for him. 

 

Notice what Jesus doesn't do for Simon.  Jesus doesn't stop Satan from attacking Simon.  One might wonder why.  After all, one of the things Jesus promises to do is protect us.  How is not stopping Satan from attacking Simon, protecting Simon?

Here are my thoughts.  Sometimes you have to let people struggle to find their hidden strengths.  Jesus knew that if Simon drew on the name of Jesus in his battle with Satan, then Simon would be OK.  However, the only real way for Simon to learn that lesson as completely as Jesus needed him to learn it, was to put Simon in a "do or die" type situation where he was truly forced to do it. 

 

Dr. Shuler wrote a book years ago called "Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?".  That is a question people have been asking since the beginning.  I believe one of the reasons  is that there are just some life lessons that we only seem to be able to learn "the hard way".   

Our parents and grand parents can warn us till they are blue in the face, but we don't listen.  We insist on learning those lessons for ourselves. 

Seems to be human nature.  Funny how Jesus already knew that!