Fixed vs Growth: Effort, Wrestling with God

Psalm 121, sometimes called “the soldier’s psalm” or “the traveler’s psalm” is a beautiful psalm about God's protection and care.  Written during the wandering days of King David, it describes God’s help and guidance in desperate times.  Psalm 91 is also a beautiful summary of the power and promises of God.  In it, He is described as our refuge and fortress, our shield and rampart, our protection from various dangers.  Modern military units have clung to Psalm 91; in some instances, it has been attributed with nearly superstitious, spell-like ability to protect those who recite it.  But magic words will not guarantee protection; incantations will not assure peace and success.  God is our source of hope, comfort and protection.  He does speak to us in His Word, the Bible, but we do not control His actions through vain repetition.  We read and meditate on His words to understand His will, and to find comfort in His power and love.  The final three verses of Psalm 91 remind us to love and call on our God in time of trouble; He promises that He will send help and deliverance.  While verses like Matthew 7: 7 and 8, with “ask…seek…knock…receive” seem to reinforce that sort of magical thinking, that we can bend God’s will to ours with certain words and incantations, the reality of prayer is more complex.  

The Matthew 7 passage with "ask...seek...."  highlights God’s loving care, His fatherly kindness and providence, His perfect knowledge of our needs and His perfect ability to meet them.  Just as a good parent does not bow to every whim of a child, neither does our God.  He meets our needs according to His power and wisdom.  In a similar way, in our battle against sin and satan, God—our commanding general, victorious in battle—has wisdom above our wisdom and a strategic end-game we cannot fathom but which we can trust will work to His glory and our eternal good.

While we acknowledge that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts, we also read evidence in scripture that God desires us to be persistent in our prayers.  Read the story of the persistent widow in Luke 18.  This woman of low social standing without a husband or son to advocate for her in society, finds herself a double victim:  first of a crime and second of an unjust judge who ruled against her in court.  She does not let this stand in her way.  She exhausts this unjust judge with her constant, persistent demands for justice; he gives in to her not because he becomes fair and just but because she wears him out!  Jesus tells us that, unlike this unjust judge, we have a Judge in heaven who is fair and just and who loves us.  We are encouraged to be persistent, and to be confident in His love and justice.  The Psalms are littered with cries to God, asking “how long…how long….how long”, but the Psalmist always concludes with a confident statement of God’s desire and ability to provide justice and salvation, even if it does appear delayed by human standards.  See Psalm 13 for a beautifully brief encapsulation of this concept.

This persistent effort is demonstrated in the Old Testament story of Jacob who wrestled with God for a blessing.  Jacob was a deceitful trickster, earning enmity with his brother Esau and his father-in-law Laban.  And yet he was chosen by God to be the father of His nation the Israelites.  Genesis 32: 22 through 32 records the story of Jacob’s persistence.  He is returning home after a long absence, carting a huge company with him—wives, children, servants, animals.  He is uncertain as to the nature of his welcome home due to his rocky history with Esau.  The night before the reunion, Jacob sends all of his people and animals ahead of him; Jacob is left alone with “a man” and wrestles with Him all night.  When daybreak comes, Jacob refuses to let the man go, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” he says.  The man—later described as God, as Jacob declares that site as the place where he saw God face to face—blesses Jacob, changing his name to Israel and declaring “you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”  Jacob wrestled with God; he demanded and received God’s blessing.  His persistence and effort were recognized and rewarded by God. 

In life, as we struggle even to the point of bloodshed to be faithful, God expects—even demands—persistence.  Trust in His goodness and in His power, seek His wisdom and His help while simultaneously trusting in His providence and timing.  Our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane prayed fervently, sweating drops of blood, that the cup of His pain and sorrow would be removed from Him, while simultaneously bowing to God’s will and to the plan of our salvation.  Paul prayed three times for God to release him from his thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12: 7 – 10), but was denied. Not every prayer results in our desired outcome, but we pray passionately, fervently and regularly that God’s kingdom would come and His will would be done; and that He would guide and form us into His will.  As we pray, we recognize our constant need for God, as His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses.

1)      A good portion of the book of John details Jesus’ last hours with His disciples.  Read John 14 through 16 and consider the key themes Jesus covers here.

2)      What does Jesus tell His disciples in John 14: 1through 4—how are they to be comforted in trouble?  How does this also give you comfort when life is difficult?

3)      In John 14: 15 through 19, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit.  He says “I will not leave you orphans.”  One translation describes the Holy Spirit as “the Comforter”; other appropriate words would be Advocate or Guide.  The Holy Spirit guides, comforts and advocates for us; He gives words to our inarticulate prayers, empowers us with divine insight and wisdom and preserves our faith.  Consider the role of the Holy Spirit in light of Ephesians 6: 17 and 18, the discussion of the sword of the Spirit and the essential-ity of prayer; how are you adequately—perfectly—prepared for the challenges of life?

4)      According to John 15: 18 through 25, and 16: 1through 4, we can expect to be persecuted and hated by the world. Why is this so, according to this passage?  How have you seen this to be true in your life or the lives of other Christians?

5)      John 16 ends with this statement “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  What trouble are you facing?  Bring that before God in prayer; use the words of Psalm 13 to cry to God, and to rejoice in the victory and salvation you have in Christ.