Devotional

Jacob is on the edge of a major confrontation with his brother Esau. Years ago, he fled after stealing his brother’s blessing. Now, after much success and growth, he returns, but fear grips him. That night, alone and uncertain, Jacob is confronted not by Esau but by God Himself. They wrestle until dawn, and Jacob is changed in both body and name. He walks away limping, renamed Israel, which means “he struggles with God.”

Jacob’s encounter shows us that faith is often forged in struggle. God does not turn away from our questions or our fears. Instead, He meets us in them. In wrestling with God, we may not always get the answers we want, but we can be changed. Like Jacob, we carry the marks of our struggles, but we also carry the blessing of having been with God.