The Fight Within

[Daniel Robinson]

In Genesis 32:22-32 Jacob wrestles with God. Through that fight Jacob learns that it is God that he must wrestle with not Laban or Esau, and in turn with himself and his sinful nature to resist the will of God. This struck me strangely.  The next day my son disobeyed me and I wanted to get angry with his defiance, but I thought about that fight Jacob had with God and wondered about my own fight. Was I righteously angry with my son because of his disobedience, or was I angry with my son because he was, in a way, attacking my pride by not submitting to me. I went on to think of all the struggles that I had been through throughout my life, I wonder how many of these struggles that I thought were because of others were actually due to my sinful nature and lack of obedience to God. I have heard it repeated throughout my life that we can’t control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to it. In that reaction others either do or do not see Christ. Too often I watch others (and myself)  that struggle with life blame others for their worries,  but if we (and I) were really a Christian who believed wholeheartedly what I preach and try to live then we wouldn’t have any worries. If we truly believed in God as our Savior, and God as our rabbi then we would have no worries because we would know that nothing ever happens without God letting it happen. And as we know “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” So if we really had faith there would be no fight within. Recently a certain disciple wrote in his blog that "Men are not to see the disciples but their good works, says Jesus. And these works are none other than those which the Lord Jesus himself has created in them by calling them to be the light of the world under the shadow of his cross." Like Jacob I know I’ll continue to wrestle with the events that happen in my life. However, hopefully by learning from Jacobs struggles I’ll be able to struggle less and grow more.

[John Becker]

Thanks for this post Daniel. Very thought provoking. Wow, it will forever change the way I think about my response to my children when they don't submit. Where is the real struggle? What is at the heart of our anger? Is it misplaced? Is it based on entitlement or misplaced identity and need for power/recognition?  Good stuff to chew on. Thanks again.