Why did Jacob have to struggle for so much of his life?
I mean, he struggled in the womb.
He struggled with his only brother and twin.
He struggled with even his uncle Laban.
He struggled with his dad.
He even struggled with himself. And ultimately, the man wrestled with God.
If he was chosen, I must ask, why then did he have to wrestle so much?
I mean, Genesis 32:24 records a defining moment in his life:
“Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of day.”
And at this turning point, the verdict from God was unmistakable.
I quote his response: “For as a prince thou hast power with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”
The struggle was not about rejection.
It was about transformation.
Did you know that life’s greatest battles hardly ever announce themselves as obvious opposition?
Infact, more often, they appear as pressure, delay, and resistance — each demanding discernment and a response.
Because God develops capacity before He releases influence.
He reforms the man before He entrusts the mantle.
So perhaps the wiser question to ask is not,
“Why is this happening to me?”
But instead,
“What is this producing within me?”
Because before outward change, there has to first be inner reformation.