Episode 78: Face It (Hedging Bets & Wrestling God)

Unexpected with Hannah Love

Have you ever had something reallllly painful in your past you don’t like to think about? Or maybe its feelings of regret, shame, or guilt? Or maybe, its just a person or situation you’d like to forget about. But whatever it was, it was such a profound moment, you felt the only way to escape it was by running. Whether that be physically, like moving cities or states, OR simply by removing yourself from a certain place or group of people. You just… kind of ran away from it? I’ll be honest, I’ve done both. If there’s anything God has shown me in the last few years it’s that I’m really good at running and disassociating.

So today’s topic is one that will take us back to the beginning of the Bible. In an attempt to read the Bible in chronological order this year, I have found myself back in Genesis and I’ve come across a story that made me think of HOW applicable it is to each of us today. This is (part of) the story of Esau and Jacob.

Here are the takeaways I get from this story: As a broken people living in a broken world, we mess up. We make mistakes. Regardless of the size and scope of the pain, we all carry something. And many of us even run. But here’s the truth. God will call us back to the point of pain, fear, or shame to FACE IT. See, God loves us so much, that He will call you back to that very thing that almost broke you. He calls you back, not to hurt you, but to heal you. We must face it in order to walk fully into what God has for our future. It takes courage, discipline, and obedience. But do you know what the reward is? It is healing and freedom. We must face it to receive what is on the other side. The future God has for you. Your inheritance. Your peace. Your healing and your freedom.

Listen, I know I’m talking to someone today. I don’t know how long your journey has been. Maybe you’re even like Jacob, who ran for 20 years! I don’t know who or what you’re running from. But I do know that God is asking you to face it. He is waiting to take your hand and walk with you. Just like Jacob. And it doesn’t have to be a graceful thing. It just needs to be done.

See, just like us, Jacob was human. In his story, you can see how his reaction is all over the place. First, he panics! He panics at the thought of facing his brother. And then… he prays. He literally repeats back to God what He promised him. He acknowledges that God has sent him back. He even reminds God that He promised him a future! (This was the right thing to do)! WE should do the same! But then… what does he do? He takes it back into his own hands. He starts planning what HE can do. He hedges his bets by sending herd after herd of livestock as gifts. In hopes of softening his brother’s heart. As if he didn’t just take the matter to God!! But.. such is our nature. This is where the final showdown happens. Jacob wrestles with God. And in the wrestling, he held on. For a blessing. He held on because he knew God was in it and if God was in it, His word was in it, too. His word for a future. When the wrestling was over, Jacob was given a new name.

Makes me think about us. About how sometimes when we face a thing. When we waffle back and forth, hedge our bets, wrestle with God…and come out the other side.. we are new. We are changed. We may walk with a limp, but we will never forget the path that brought us back. Back into the fullness and freedom God called us to all along. If that is you today, sweet friend, I pray you’ll have the courage this year to face it. It’s okay to feel all the things. It’s okay to panic, to pray, to plan, to wrestle.. just as long as you face it. Remember, God wouldn’t call you to it, if He wouldn’t see you through it. Not just see you through it but see you healed and restored. Just as Jacob was returned to his home land and restored back to his promised inheritance. There’s an inheritance for you. Just on the other side.