Have you ever wrestled with God? It could have been a situation where you wanted one thing yet you were feeling led by God in a different direction. What you should cherish is that you felt led by God. Many people long for that clarity in their life. They call on God, are faithful, and yet do not hear God’s voice clearly over all the other distractions of life. Accordingly, we often make the wrong choice. But, God doesn’t make mistakes. So if he is leading, we should be following.
I have had times, more than I would like to admit, where I felt a bit lifeless and not fueled by God’s fire and direction. There were times when I was downright lost and feeling a bit separate from God. Looking back, I’m surprised he stayed as close to me as he did. There had to be a good reason for that. He knew there was so much more he had for me to do. Maybe you’re starting to realize that, too?
We are all at different places in our walk with God. Jacob certainly wasn’t as devout as his father or especially his grandfather, yet, God was faithful. How many children do we have in our families who don’t have the kind of faith we have, or would like for them to have, for that matter? Yet if we pray them through, we have a faithful God who wants to use them, too, if they can just figure it out. Sometimes it takes a 2×4 to get us back on track when we stray. We’re just so blinded to the truth. Why? Because the world has a voice so loud the truth is more often than not stifled and silenced.
It seems no longer “politically correct” to stand on the truths of the Bible (at least in some cultures and communities). Those are cultures I don’t want to be part of. Or, at the very least, I am not about to dwell on whether or not I am accepted as politically correct. I know that I am Kingdom bound!! The Bible truth is what I want to stand for.
Just as with Jacob, God has not finished with me just yet. Not by a longshot. However, I need to wrestle with him sometimes when I find myself not feeling adequate, not feeling worthy of what he is calling me to do. No matter how old we are, or at what stage in our spiritual journey we are on, we need to remember we are His. We don’t need to be perfect. He is perfect. We just need to tell him our heart, stay true to his word, and wrestle when necessary. I’m not certain who will win that battle. You might need to be prepared to be called Israel.
Take some time today to tell God how you really feel about something that is happening in your life. You know he already knows, but he prefers to hear it first hand from you. It’s the dialogue he longs for. Don’t ever think God is too busy for you. He is God. If he can come down in the form of a man to wrestle a father of 11 children who happened to be afraid to meet up with his long-lost brother, then he can be available to you, too!
Let’s pray. Lord, you know my heart. Help me to put my trust in you once and for all. Help me to know without a shadow of a doubt that you are in control of my life and you have some really great things in store for me. It’s not time to shrivel up but to be energized. I am waiting for your opening. even if it’s just opening my mouth. Fill me with the words you want me to say to each person I encounter. Give me the awareness and perception to see you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
