“Even In Our Ugliest Situation God Shows His Goodness”

Romans 8:25-29

Ugliest is defined as very unattractive or unpleasant to look at; disagreeable; plain; evil; messy; shocking; wicked; foul. 

We all experience exhaustion, disappointment in failure, overwhelm in hardship and sickness of a loved one, which make it difficult to see God’s goodness at times. Jacob may have experienced something similar after wrestling all night. When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups,and the flocks and herds and camels as well. He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group,the group that is left may escape.” That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” Jacob, he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

I come by this morning to remind you even though the situation maybe at its ugliest, God can show His goodness in it, trust Him. Just as the goodness of God can be seen in Jacob’s difficult circumstance, it can also be seen in ours. Be encouraged and do not rely on your own deceptive tendencies but rather on the almighty God. God’s goodness is present in our most challenging life experiences. Be bless and I love you!!! JE