Divine Disruption

Growth Track

Intro

The Job You Didn’t Get

Have you ever had your heart set on a job? You updated your resume, prepped for the interview, and prayed hard about it. You could already see yourself thriving in the role—what your desk would look like, how you’d spend your lunch breaks, even how it would improve your finances. Everything seemed perfect.

But then, the phone call comes. “We’ve decided to go in a different direction.”

In that moment, it feels like the ground has been pulled out from under you. Disappointment sets in. You start questioning yourself—Was I not good enough? Did I do something wrong? It’s easy to feel like you missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime.

But then, weeks or months later, another opportunity comes along—one you didn’t even see coming. Maybe it’s a better job with a better culture, better pay, and better opportunities to grow. And suddenly, it all makes sense. What felt like rejection was really God’s protection and redirection. He had something better in mind all along.

Transition into the “Better” series:

And isn’t that how life works with God? We have our plans, our ideas of what’s best, but when we walk with Jesus, we start to see that His way is always higher, always wiser, and always better.

That’s exactly what we’re diving into in our new series, “Better.” Over the next few weeks, we’re going to explore how a life with Jesus doesn’t just change our Sundays—it impacts our everyday lives, our choices, and our purpose in ways that always lead to something better.

God’s calling for your life is always better than you can imagine.

The Call

Matthew 4:18–22 NLT

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

God uses moments in our life to transform our life.

The disciples could have said no.

When God calls you to do something that seems impossible, what will you do?

Matthew 4:22 NLT

They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

Following Jesus will always affect your relationships.

Following Jesus will always affect your problems.

THE MISCONCEPTION OF FOLLOWING JESUS

The Fall

Peter found himself in a place that he was never supposed to be.

John 18:8 NLT

“I told you that I Am he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.”

When we begin to trust ourselves as lord of our own life, we walk through doors we were never supposed to see.

Matthew 26:69–75 NLT

Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.” But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said. A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.” Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.

The final person was a relative of the man that Peter cut off his ear.

We must be prepared to remain connected to Jesus when life gets hard.

Proverbs 3:5–7 NLT

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

Philippians 4:7 NLT

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Only God can give you peace and purpose in the painful places.

Romans 8:28 NLT

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Only God can restore those painful places.

The Recall

John 21:1–7 NLT

Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.

Jesus chose to restore Peter privately and publicly.

Peter denied Jesus publicly, so Jesus restored Peter with three commissions.

John 21:18–19 NLT

“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

God cannot deny his own character.

He is a faithful God.

The chairs…

God sees the dark seasons in your life and still says follow me.

Jesus can restore those broken places in your heart, you just have to follow.

No matter where life has taken you, he’s calling, and he’s simply saying, follow me.