15 Nov Isaiah 40:31

but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

It’s a few weeks of frustration as families, ministries, work is overwhelming. Generally life is overwhelming.

In my walk with God, I recognized that this is not a good place to be in and when life is overwhelming, it’s important to lean in more intentionally towards God.

Through Jacob’s wrestling with God (Genesis 32:22-32), I was reminded to hold tightly to God. I repeated these words back to God, as Jacob did. “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” This is not a self-centered or demanding statement as when I first felt when I read this for the first many times. It’s a statement of desperation but also a statement of perseverance based on our knowledge of who God is.

It’s contending based on God’s goodness and power.

This article reminded me of Isaiah 40:31 and to hold on to God.

The word qavah in Hebrew has two components.

One, the passive part, where you surrender yourself to the Lord and yield yourself to Him completely because He is God.

Two, the active component, where your spirit reaches out to God and intertwines with who God says He is, who He says you are and what His promises are for you.

As you intertwine actively, you will not let Him go. You hold on to Him. That is qavah.

The active part was Jacob holding onto God, in a posture of struggling, perseverance and contending, based on who God is.