Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob,
but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men,
and have prevailed.”
-Genesis 32:28
God doesn’t restrain us from using our ways. He allows us to use our own ways and methods until they come to an end. Do you have your ways when you follow the Lord? Use your ways. Do you have talents? Use your talents. Do you like to work for God? Go ahead and work. Are you gifted in speaking? Use your gift to speak. Like Jacob, when we eventually come to the end of all these things, we will reach a spiritual turning point. At this time, we will realize how much we need such a turning point. Without the Lord, we can do nothing, even when we use all our ways and talents. After Jacob tried everything he could think of, he was still anxious and worried. The whole situation became a heavy weight on his heart. He had come to the end of all his talents and strength. Therefore he had the experience of Peniel.
Even if we are saved, are consecrated, love the Lord, and give everything to Him, God cannot touch us deeply as long as we still have our own ways. Our problem is that we have our own ways. The Holy Spirit will lead us to this turning point. God will arrange our environment so that eventually we lose all confidence in our own natural wisdom, ways, talents, and abilities. God may even allow a thorn in our flesh to make us weak (2 Cor. 12:7). The weakness in our flesh will make us uncertain of ourselves so that we cannot but rely on the Lord, live by faith, and drop all the things we trusted before. Every time our self-confidence begins to rise up, the thorn reminds not to rely on our abilities and talents but to rely on Him. This thorn helps us to know ourselves. God’s dealing brings us into a new realm.
Adapted from A Sketch of Genesis, by Titus Chu, pages 155-156.
Monday: Wrestling with God at Peniel (1)
