THEN JACOB WAS LEFT ALONE; AND A MAN WRESTLED WITH HIM UNTIL THE BREAKING OF DAY. NOW WHEN HE SAW THAT HE DID NOT PREVAIL AGAINST HIM, HE TOUCHED THE SOCKET OF HIS HIP; AND THE SOCKET OF JACOB’S HIP WAS OUT OF JOINT AS HE WRESTLED WITH HIM.  AND HE SAID, ‘LET ME GO, FOR THE DAY BREAKS.’ BUT HE SAID, ‘I WILL NOT LET YOU GO UNLESS YOU BLESS ME!’
(Genesis 32:24-26).

I often wrestle with God and tell Him, “God, I will not let You go until You bless me: until Your Hope penetrates my hopelessness…until Your Truth permeates the accusatory voice in my mind …until Your Presence fills my loneliness.”  God has blessed me countless times because of my persistence.  I have noticed that the reason I need to wrestle with God is not that He is reluctant to meet my needs, but that the deception of the father-of-lies is so extensive in my life that it stands between God and me. God speaks to me, but I cannot hear Him, because of the negative, destructive beliefs of abandonment, shame, rejection, and condemnation in my heart.

THE LORD LOOKS DOWN FROM HEAVEN ON THE SONS OF MEN TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY WHO UNDERSTAND, ANY WHO SEEK GOD
(Psalm 14:2).

Beloved Child, you need to realize that I am looking down from Heaven to see if anyone is seeking Me.  I am always checking to see if you need My Comfort, My Power, or My Light. 

 Child, I encourage you to wrestle with Me about anything and everything that bothers you, so you can get past the lies of the father-of-lies.  Take time to engage in deep fellowship with Me.  Stay with Me until the voice of the father-of-lies is silenced and you can hear My Truth and experience My Presence. I long to reward you for seeking Me, but you need to pursue Me until I bless you.  I want to set you free from your belief of feeling like a disappointment. I want to help you come to grips with your fear of death. I want to show you that you are special. But you need to wrestle with Me and not let Me go…until I answer you.

HE REWARDS THOSE WHO EARNESTLY SEEK HIM
(Hebrews 11:6).

What has been bothering you lately? What is on your heart, weighing it down? What heavy burden are you carrying on your shoulders?

I bless you to seek God with all your heart. Know that the real burden is not the circumstances, but the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies in your own heart. Engage your feelings. They will lead you to the beliefs in your heart. Then, wrestle with God about this burden, until it lifts.

PRAYER: Lord God, I want to see You. I want to hear Your Voice. I want to experience Your Love, Your Hope, and Your Truth. Help me to look past the circumstances, as I connect with the real burden in my heart. Help me, Lord, to understand what You want me to know. I will not let You go, until You bless me and release me from this burden.