Being Sifted

In Luke 22 we are told of Christ's warning to Simon Peter: "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat."  This one is an interesting passage that I have a hard time understanding.  I've heard many interpretations of this passage, but I'm searching for something that makes sense in context.  The Savior follows with "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not."  So it seems that the antidote to being sifted as wheat is to have faith.  So what does wheat have to do with faithlessness?



Sifting is the process of separating larger bits from smaller bits.  If you sift wheat, you can either choose a sieve that will separate small dust from good wheat, or one that sorts small wheat from larger bits (maybe pebbles or twigs?).  I suspect the Savior is referring to the latter.  So the sieve gradually drops the tiny good kernels of wheat individually through the mesh, and all it keeps is the twigs and pebbles, the impurities that can't be eaten.

I'm going to relate this to Peter's testimony.  He has had a ton of experiences with the Savior, and had, on several occasions, testified of the divinity of Christ.  He had tons of kernels of knowledge.  But Satan would like to have him, and sift those particles of truth, little by little, so that all that remains are the stones and twigs that can't provide nourishment.

When I look at my life, it is often easy to forget about the small bits of experience that are nourishing to my spirit, while it can be easier to notice the rocks and twigs that are there in my life.  I have to take care to not let those kernels of faith be sifted away, and be left with only problems and conundrums.

We should pray for ourselves and each other, that our faith won't fail, so that Satan will not have us to sift.