How do we overcome God?
I wrestled when I was a kid for one season. I liked it OK, but I must not have liked it too much cause my parent's didn't sign me up again the next year. It was fun to learn some of the holds and starting positions. I think I gained a little bit of a sense of balance and strength from the times I spent on the mat.
Although I only wrestled formally for one year, there was plenty to be done on dormitory floors and trampolines through out the years growing up as a guy. My room mate and I got along really well. When ever he got a little angsty though he would attack me. He had a nasty headlock and he was just strait up crazier than I was, but I was way bigger then him. So it usually worked out to be a good time for letting off steam for the both of us.
I never really learned to fist fight, I don't think I would do very well in one. But when it comes to wrestling I feel fairly confident. I can throw my weight around and stand my ground well. I have found myself in some very different sorts of wrestling matches as I have gotten older though.
In Genesis 32 Jacob is faced with coming home to meet his brother. He sends messengers to Esau to tell him he is coming. The messengers come back with the news the Esau is coming with 400 men. Jacob gets scared and sends out welcoming gifts in front of him offering livestock and servants to his brother hoping to lessen the conflict. He also has some personal preparation to go through. He sends everyone and everything across the river then stays on the other side by himself for the night. A man comes, says scripture, and they wrestle all night. The man realizes he cannot overpower Jacob and so he touches Jacob's hip and puts it out of joint at sunrise. Jacob will not let go until he is blessed. The man asks his name and then gives him a new one, Israel. Because Jacob has striven with both God and man and he has overcome!
How in the world do we wrestle with God and overcome? The times I have felt my wrestle with God have been in difficult life circumstances. I am going through something I know God could take away. He could stop it or fix it or save me from it. But he doesn't. He leaves me there in the situation struggling and wrestling. Often in these circumstances I strive with God in prayer asking, begging, pleading, and roaring for relief.
I was just sharing with my good friends this morning the journey that I have taken through counseling and the help it brought to my marriage. Four months ago my wife was ready for me to move out and work all I wanted. She never wanted a divorce, but it was too painful to live with me when I was so disconnected. As you can imagine we had been striving with one another and with God for quite a while. We went to see a new counselor starting in May and she began to give us good, solid, formal training on how to live in relationship. As I reflect on this now, I can say we have overcome both man (each other and ourselves) and God (the situation God gave us for growth i.e. marriage) at least for this round.
I am recognizing our next wrestling match today. It will be the one to take hold of our health, not just on our own, but together. I need to give my strength to Laura and I will need her to give her strength to me so we might be able to say we have overcome in this area of our lives as well, together, and for the sake of our family.
There is always another match, there is always the next struggle. But I can honestly say, overcoming the last struggle makes this one seem much more possible. I am glad to have victory in Jesus today in my marriage and I look forward to victory in my health as well.
I encourage you to strive today because the victory is available and because it tastes sooooooooo sweet!
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