“Struggling With God”

Jacob wrestles with the Angel (Gen 32:22-32)

In this Sunday’s reading we catch Jeremiah (Jer 20:7–9) at a moment when he has simply had enough. Jeremiah has answered God’s call, but it has brought ridicule, rejection, and loneliness. He reaches the point where he wants to stop. But he cannot. God’s Word has become like a fire within him. For Jeremiah, struggling with God does not mean he have lost faith. It means that faithfulness has become harder than he had ever imagined it could be.

In the Gospel (Mat 16:21–27), Peter has his own struggle with faithfulness. When Jesus tells the disciples that He is going to suffer and die, Peter wants no part of it. But Jesus makes it clear that following Him will not always be easy. Sometimes it will mean taking up a cross we never expected and trusting God enough to keep going.

Jeremiah shows us what that can feel like. Jesus reminds us that sometimes the hardest part of faith is continuing to follow when the road is not the one we would have chosen.

Jesus is not asking us to look for suffering. He is asking us for faithfulness when suffering comes. Jeremiah discovers that the fire God placed within him is stronger than his desire to give up. And Jesus reminds us that the Cross is not the end of the story. Resurrection is. Along the way, we may find ourselves questioning God about why we are so tired, where we are headed, or whether we can keep going. Yet even in those moments, grace can be quietly burning within us, giving us the strength we need to take the next faithful step.

Faith Sharing Questions

1.Is there something in your life right now that is asking more of you than you expected? How does that make you feel?

2.Do you believe that God directly intervenes in your life? 

3. What have the difficult times in your life taught you about yourself?