This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” “What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” “What is your name?” Jacob asked him. “Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”) for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” Genesis 32:24-30 NLT
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT
Jacob’s story was a tough one. He had plenty of deficits in his life. Just to name one area, his parents had favorites. His mother loved him best, his father loved his brother best. His parents had far less than a model marriage. The lack of honesty between them over key issues caused Jacob to run away from home after a complete relational breakdown of jealousy and cheating his brother, engineered by his mother. Jacob was estranged from his brother and father for more than 20 years. The Scripture in Genesis 32 tells of Jacob’s fear as he decided to come home to face his issues and his family again. He was afraid of his brother, but God showed him that his personal issues, his deficits, were the main issue.
His story can help us. We all have deficits that show up in our character. Jacob’s name even meant “deceiver and conniver,” which is exactly what he was. That was his home environment. We all have them, and they take us off track from having fulfilling relationships. Jacob let his childhood deficits steal his life for 20 long years. When we blame our past and are unwilling to address the deficits in our character and relational skills, we will run into continual frustrations and failures. God persistently pursues us to deal with our deficiencies. He relentlessly points them out to us. Jacob did not embrace the truth about his responsibility easily, but he wrestled with God until he recognized the truth. He surrendered, allowing God to break and transform him. He became a changed man. The rest of his life shows it. God even gave him a new name, Israel, meaning “one who has power with God.” Genesis 35 recounts his going to meet his brother, never dreaming his brother would forgive him, but going anyway. His life was continually transformed as he worked with God.
• Paul is another testifier to what God does with our deficits when we own them, surrender to Him, and work with Him. God will relentlessly pursue you to deal with your deficiencies. Where do you see Him working now and how will you respond? You can’t choose your past, but you can choose who and what you are in your future.