36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?"
Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward."
37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake."
38 Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times. Sr. John 13:36-38 (NKJV)

Why can’t I? How many times has a child asked a parent that question? Most of the time the child is sure that he or she has an argument that is sure to win. For that reason, the child often responds to the NO without caring why the parent said, NO.

Simon Peter asks Jesus an honest question, "Where are you going?" It is the answer to this question that Gives Simon Peter the problem. The first problem is that Peter does not listen to the entire answer before he says, Why can’t I? The second problem is that Peter does not know himself as well as God does.

Peter misses the great promise that Jesus gives in the second half of his answer. When Jesus says that he can’t follow now, he adds that he will be able to follow later. That reminds us of the child who only hears NO and not the reason for the NO.

"Why can’t I?" we ask God when we feel that He has said NO. Before you say, "Why can’t I?" be sure that you listen to God’s whole answer, then turn to God and ask Him to help you understand why He said NO. If you do, you may well be led to the Yes that brings you more joy than you were denied.

WE PRAY: LORD, you have said that your ways are not my ways. At times that is so hard to understand and I want to say, "Why can’t I?" Give me he courage to trust you enough to say, Okay, Lord, I’ll do it your way. AMEN

A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION