There is an old saying, “What doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.” The wisdom behind that is you will go through hard times, but the end product will you be stronger than you were before. Jesus uses that principle when He tells Peter that Satan wants to sift him. Peter was going to be sifted and strengthened.
Luke 22:31-32
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Bold Statements
Peter was good at making bold statements but wasn’t good at backing them up. He asked Jesus to walk in water, but once on it, he quickly sunk. Peter declared that he would fight anyone who tried to arrest Jesus only to deny him three times. Now He tells him that Satan will sift him like wheat after Peter declared that he would die for him. Peter needed to be sifted so that he could strengthen others.
Remove the Chaff
God will allow times of sifting in your life to remove the chaff. Chaff is the useless shell of the wheat kernel after it has been harvested. God wants you pure and holy to be more effective in His purposes for you. Don’t resist the sifting but ask Him to complete the job. You will find your burden lighter and your eyesight clearer.
Sifted and Strengthened
After the sifting is completed, go and strengthen others. God uses sifting in our lives for two purposes. The first is to make us more like Jesus, and the second is to minister to others who are struggling. You now have the ability to be more compassionate to those struggling and the wisdom of having walked the path. As you do this, you will uncover a newfound joy that you have never experienced before.