Today’s 333 Devotional: “The End Result of Change”

The last phase of the transformation process in Jacob’s life was his conversion.

God gives us a brand new identity. After Jacob’s confession God said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28)

God saw beneath Jacob’s rough exterior.

Beneath all of our hang-ups, insecurities, and the rest, God sees a child of His. God says, “Beneath all the sins, insecurities, and mistakes I see your potential. You have a great place in My Kingdom because that is what I created you for. Not what you are now, but what I made you to be from the beginning.”

And so, when we confess, God will give us a brand new identity, and with it a reminder so we’ll never forget. God touched Jacob’s hip and threw it out forever, and Jacob walked with a limp. It was God’s reminder of his new identity and purpose.

When we meet God, we’ll never be the same. We cannot truly have met with someone as great as God and not be changed. If we met God, like Jacob did, our walk will never be the same.

From that time forward, Jacob was going to have to stand in God’s power and no longer rely on his own. Jacob leaves his encounter with God both stronger and weaker. Stronger because he’s no longer the same person, but weaker because he’s now going to have to depend on God for his daily walk, which when you think about it makes him stronger.

Only Jesus can change you as the Apostle Paul says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Take time to get alone and away with God and wrestle with God and allow God to wrestle with you. You’ll never be the same. It will be your greatest change.