The Struggle is Real

Genesis 32:22-28

²² During the night Jacob got up and took his family and his servants and crossed the Jabbok River with them. ²³ After taking them to the other side, he also sent over all his possessions, and then returned to camp.  ²⁴ This left Jacob all alone, late into the night a man snuck into the camp and wrestled with Jacob until the dawn began to break. ²⁵ When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

²⁷ “What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” ²⁸ “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have wrestled with God and with men and have won.”

Whenever you read in the scriptures that someone’s name changes … it signifies something huge.  It’s like God is waving a giant flag saying … pay attention – this is important – something big is happening here.

Before his name was Israel – before he struggled with God – his name was Jacob.  And his name meant deceiver … and that’s exactly what he was.  If you trace back Jacob’s story – deception was a huge part of how his life played out. 

But in Genesis 32, as God is about to bring Jacob back and restore him – as He is preparing Jacob to be the leader of a nation – of God’s people – redeeming and keeping the promise He made to Abraham – there is one thing that is left to do and that is to change Jacob’s name.

He no longer will be known as the deceiver … now he will be known as “the struggler”

The Struggler ISRAEL

As God was renaming Jacob he was also giving a name for His people – they would be known as the ISRAELITES – or the people who struggle with God.

And while that’s name you probably wouldn’t choose for yourself – it is a fitting name.  The people who struggle with God.

The people who struggle to know God – the people who struggle to find God – the people who wrestle and ebb and flow in their relationship with God.

The Struggler ISRAEL

The Struggle is real.

Things are never as easy as we want and rarely as easy as we expect.  It would be great if life were easier, but the reality is that many times life is a struggle.

Through our struggles -without even realizing it, we end up fighting battles we were never meant to fight ... battles we can never win.

What if there were a better battle for us to fight?  What if instead of fighting against, we learned to fight for? The Struggle is real, but there is always a better way.

Our hope and prayer today is that as you dig into the scriptures you will find a God who is not disappointed in the struggle – but a God who is willing to walk with you every step of the way through the struggle.

And that in the middle of your struggle you will seek out a better fight - that you will find a better way.

But the best news about the struggle ... is that the battle is already won.  Jesus has defeated death and sin and has overcome any struggle that we wrestle with.  

You don't have to keep fighting the same old battles ... instead of putting your trust and hope in yourself and your ability to make it through the struggle, try today to turn to God and place your trust in him.  Because the struggle is real and you don't have to deal with it alone.