Dear readers I’m so grateful to be coming to you out of a week that was a challenge. My first few days of the week I was crippled by fear and anxiety. I didn’t use the tools I have to challenge my fears and anxieties. So I did not wrestle well. I wrestled with my fear and anxiety and they won for a little while. Here’s my prayer to God: teach me to wrestle well between my faith and my feelings. The term wrestle well comes from Lysa Teurkeurst book It’s Not Supposed to be This Way. I so want to be able to let go of my feelings and rely more on my faith. I know about the goodness of God. I’ve seen it. Let’s look at a biblical example.
And Jacob was left alone; and there
wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he
prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow
of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me
go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou
bless me. And he said unto him, what is thy name? and he said, Jacob. And he
said, thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel for as a prince hast
thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. Genesis 32:24-28
Jacob wrestled well, he knew his
strengths and weaknesses and he learned the weaknesses of his opponent. He
refused to release the man until he blessed him. So too must we refuse to let
our fear block the blessing that’s coming our way. It’s important that we know
the weaknesses of our opponent. It’s important to pit our strengths against our
opponent’s weaknesses. For me it’s important to know the weaknesses of fear and
anxiety and the biggest weakness is they reveal themselves for the lie that
they are once the light of God’s word and truth comes upon them. Jacob got a
blessing at the end of his struggle. So too will you find a blessing at the end
of your struggle or even in the midst of them. Sometimes when we wrestle we do
not leave unscathed. Jacob ended up with a limp and a new name. So too may you
end up with a limp, but God has a huge blessing coming your way. I’m sure that
Jacob came away with a renewed appreciation of the goodness of God and what he
had done for him. I’m also sure that Jacob came away with a new perspective. We
hear it in God’s word where he said, “And Jacob called the name of the place
Peniel for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved” (Genesis
32:30 KJV). If you want to read the whole wrestling match see Genesis 32:22-32
KJV.
So God shifted my perspective. I
had to do something that I didn’t want to do at work and it was a big challenge
for me. I was overcome by fear and anxiety, but on the third day my confidence
grew and I began to think I can do this. God shifted my perspective by showing
me that I am capable of doing this new task at work. I fully believe God has a
huge blessing for me on the other side of this. I was sitting on my break and
wanted to write in my journal. I needed a pen. My water bottle was blocking the
pen and God showed me that my fear is blocking my view of my blessing. Don’t
let your blessing get blocked. Open up your eyes, shift your perspective, and
see the blessing God has in the challenge you’re facing. I promise you God is
going to work things out for your good.
And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose. Romans 8:28 KJV
Christine Caine says in her book
Undaunted, “Fear and faith cannot coexist.” This is so true. My fear blocked my
faith this week for a little while. I had an outburst of rage on my way home
from work Tuesday night. That was my fear talking. By Wednesday night God had
shifted my perspective and I was coming at the challenge from a place of faith
instead of fear. I began to see the limitless blessings that are coming my way.
I am going to be a new creation on the other side of it. Yes, it’s
uncomfortable. Yes, it's a challenge. Yes,
some days will be harder than others but on the other side of all that is a new
way of life for me. I cannot bring my old way of living into the new blessings.
So what are you wrestling with dear
reader?
Share it with me. I’m listening.
I pray your faith perseveres.
Genuinely Yours,
Amy Z
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