Scripture: Genesis 32:22–32
"Then the man said, 'Let me go, for it is daybreak.' But Jacob replied, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'" – Genesis 32:26 (NIV)
Devotional
We all go through nights we’d rather forget, nights full of fear, confusion, or battles we never saw coming. Jacob had one of those nights. Left alone by the river, he found himself wrestling with a man until daybreak. It wasn’t just a physical struggle. It was a turning point in his life.
Jacob wasn’t perfect. He had tricked his brother Esau, deceived his father, and was now facing the consequences of his past. But in the middle of his fear and uncertainty, he did something powerful, he held on. Even when the man (later revealed to be a divine figure) touched his hip and left him limping, Jacob refused to let go without a blessing.
That’s where many of us give up. When life “touches our hip”, when we’re left with wounds, regrets, or unanswered questions, we let go too soon. But God invites us to hold on through the pain, to keep wrestling in prayer, and to keep seeking His face until something shifts.
Jacob came out of that struggle with a limp, but also with a new name Israel, meaning “he struggles with God.” His limp became a sign, not of weakness, but of divine encounter. His past didn’t disqualify him; his persistence in the struggle led to transformation.
Your struggle doesn’t mean God is absent. In fact, it might be the very place where He’s most present. And even if you feel broken or unworthy, He’s still willing to bless you. Like Jacob, you may walk away with a limp, but you’ll also walk away with a testimony.
Prayer: Lord, sometimes I feel tired and defeated by the battles I face. But today, like Jacob, I choose to hold on to You. Even if I’m hurting, even if I don’t understand, I know You are with me. Turn my struggle into strength. Bless me, not because I’ve earned it, but because You are faithful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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