Main Thought
Jacob was a known deceiver. He even lied to his family in order to get what he wanted. As a result, he eventually needed to wrestled with life - which included situations that he helped create. He wrestled with himself internally. His spirit and emotions faced moments of inner turmoil like ours do. But Jacob also wrestled with the Divine and encountered God. That’s when he finally faced the truth. God touched Jacob’s hip, injuring him and caused him to walk differently. Then, God gave Jacob a new name. He was recognized as a new person.
Change starts to happen inside us when we admit the truth about ourselves. We allow God into the dark and difficult parts of our lives. This can include our emotions, our character flaws, or the lies we’ve come to believe about ourselves. It can hurt, but that’s when God can touch us and change us. Then we’ll begin to discover the incredible things God wants to do in us and through us. We can become new too.
Main Passages
6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed…
- Genesis 32:6-7
24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
- Genesis 32:24-27
28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip
- Genesis 32:28-31
Discussion Questions
Is there a situation or circumstance that you’re wrestling right now?
Have you wrestled with your own spirit and/or emotions recently? If so, why?
What difficult truth have you discovered about yourself in the situations you mentioned? How might God be trying to help you change and grow?