When Jacob heard that his brother, Esau, was coming to meet him with 400 men, Jacob was gripped with fear, and after devising a plan to deal with his situation, he knew that it was not enough to save his life. So the only left that he could do was to pray to God. He prayed, "O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—O Lord, you told me, 'Return to your own land and to your relatives.' And you promised me, 'I will treat you kindly.' I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps! O Lord, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. But you promised me, 'I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore—too many to count.'" (Genesis 32:9-12).
Jacob's prayer had a change of heart compared to his attitude when he was on the way to Haran to live with his uncle Laban (Genesis 28:20-21). In the beginning, he was a confident man, but going through situations beyond his control, it humbled him. In his prayer, Jacob acknowledged the God he was praying to, mentioned God's promises to him, admitted his unworthiness before God, and asked God for deliverance from his brother Esau. Jacob, for the first time, in his life, completely relied on God. He knew that no one else could help him but God. However, God never left him, but He was always with Jacob, even when Jacob was not trusting and unfaithful to Him.
In the same manner, God never leaves us, but He is always with us, even when we are unfaithful. Our relationship with Him is not based on our good works, but it is based on His love. Sometimes, we may have this thought that says, "how can God accept or love me after all the things that I have done?" But God is saying to us that no matter what we have done, He can forgive, for there is no sin that He cannot pardon. So when we go through situations beyond our control, we can rest assured that we can come before the throne of God and ask for help. His love for us does not tolerate our sins, but his love towards us changes us to be the person He wants us to be.
Ask yourself these questions: Can God still accept and love me despite all the sins I have committed? Is there any sin in the past that I have done that God cannot forgive? What should I do when I face a situation that is beyond my control?
Write down all the worries that you are facing today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in heaven, thank you that you never leave me even when my heart seems far away from you. Thank you for leading me back to you and reminding me that you always love me. Thank you that you are my refuge when life seems unbearable. Please continue to teach me to trust in you. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.