Thursday, February 7: Genesis 33- Facing our fears.

For twenty years Jacob has been carrying the pain of hostile separation from his brother. After stealing Esau’s first-born blessing, Jacob fled to his uncle where he established his adult life, married and had children. For 20-years Esau’s fury plagued the back of Jacob’s mind.

I’ve been there. O maybe not with the intensity of Esau and Jacob, but I’ve been there. You have ‘words’ with someone or some other falling out. And then you avoid seeing the other person. I know some people who have stopped going to a favorite restaurant because the person they are/were at odds with frequents that restaurant. I know people who have left churches so they could avoid someone they had an argument with.

Jacob moved out of the country to get away from his brother!

Life has a way of causing those avoidance tactics to fail… what will happen when you meet? Will sparks start to fly again? Possibly. Will time have healed some of the wound? Maybe. You will not know until you meet.

In Jacob’s case his brother’s fury had subsided, at least in measure. I notice Jacob didn’t move next door to his brother.

We can live voiding the other person, while carrying the anxiety of what will happen if we meet. We can contort our lives in order to avoid the other person. Or we can face the situation.

I am not going to say one size fits all. But I will offer another perspective. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry..., (Ephesians 4:26). I have found that facing the brother I have hurt or been hurt by is usually a better option. Forgiveness is a powerful gift.

Think about it…

Lord Jesus thank You for forgiving me… help me to forgive others. As You taught us to pray, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Amen.

 

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