When Life Doesn’t Work Out

When Life Doesn’t Work Out

Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way, and he went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.

Genesis 28:5

Jacob waited many years for the promised blessing, and after receiving it, he had to go into exile. He was forced to leave his dear parents, and they were separated from their beloved son for a long, long time. On the surface, one might think this wasn’t so bad. But it’s very difficult for anyone to leave a father and mother, an inheritance, and comfortable surroundings and to run away in misery and poverty.

This is a wonderful example that shows us how God works. He requires us to trust his words and his promises even when the opposite of those promises is happening to us. Jacob had the promised blessing, but he had to hold on to it by faith and not doubt what he couldn’t see. Jacob had nothing but a stick in his hand and a piece of bread in his bag. He was poor, lonely, and outcast, but he believed God’s promises. Jacob’s example teaches us to live by faith. We should believe God when he promises to love and protect us, take care of us, and listen to us, even though we might not see it happening.

This story is written as an example for us. We must learn to depend on the visible Word of our invisible and incredible God. Because God doesn’t lie or deceive us, we wait with confidence and patience for him to fulfill his promise. This is difficult for us because we are used to things we can touch, see, or feel. We have to learn to let go of what we can experience only with our senses and live according to what is invisible.