There’s a story in the Bible that a lot of us are familiar with – Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis.
Jacob wasn’t on the best terms with God at the time, thinking he knew better than what the Creator wanted for him.
What I learned in the Bible was that Jacob had been living a pretty good life before God asked him to return to his homeland.
Jacob didn’t want anything from God.
But God wanted something from Jacob: Jacob’s total dependency on Him.
Jacob began the fight in fear and he met pain, but the Bible also tells us that he went into the next day–sore, yes–but having seen God and been blessed.
You see, I can’t even count on both hands the number of times I have lost what I wanted and tried to make sense of why God took it. All these years and all the people; all the memories that don’t seem to mean anything anymore; all the wondering.
In my mind, that part where God “takes” is only “good” if He gives me a reason.
But it was only when God broke Jacob’s hip in the fight that Jacob started clinging to God.
The very thing that hurt Jacob is what became the reminder of his encounter with the Father.
It’s always easier to let go of the things in our lives that we know are unhealthy, isn’t it? When God asks us to give up a lifestyle that isn’t aligned with what He designed, we understand it. When He asks us to end a harmful relationship, we hopefully take strong, bold steps away from it because we know deep down it’s better.
It’s easy to shed the things that hurt.
But what about the things that are really good?
The dream. The job. The city. The scholarship. The stage. The trip.
It’s in the waiting, and in the valley, that Jesus asks us to let go of what we were holding close because it’s not actually what’s best. He even asks us to let go of good things, very good things, because–even though they are good–they may not be the best.
We cannot conquer anything until God conquers us.
And the best He can give is Himself.
What a good God. Give me that God. I want that, even if it hurts.
One Response
This is beautiful!