Wrestling with God
Biblical Stories of Healing
Reflection By Scott Stoner
You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.
- Genesis 32:28
Healing is oftentimes connected with forgiveness and reconciliation. Such is the case with twin brothers Jacob and Esau. In Genesis 32, Jacob finally prepares to encounter Esau after years of his own manipulation and deception, having stolen his brother’s birthright and fled.
Jacob falls asleep, nervous about facing Esau in the morning. In either a dream or a direct encounter—the text is ambiguous—he wrestles with God.
The match was fierce. Jacob’s hip was knocked out of joint, yet he refused to let go until he received a blessing. During the struggle, God gives him a new name, Israel, “one who struggles with God.” This blessing he earns through struggle, not by theft like in the past. He eventually walks away transformed, but remains with a limp.
God’s healing sometimes includes wrestling. A healthy faith honors honest struggling with things such as doubt and the divine mystery. Such sincere struggles often lead to new blessings and understanding.
Making It Personal: Have you struggled with faith or doubt while seeking healing? Have you received any blessings amid such a struggle? Is there anything you’re wrestling with now? If so, are you comfortable not resolving that struggle prematurely, but seeing it as a sacred encounter rather than a lack of faith?