February Practice of the Month: Wrestling
God knows we are going to wrestle with our faith sometimes. Curiosity, doubts, and questions are a normal and he invites us to explore this part of our faith. There are actually many examples of this throughout the bible. Which is why wrestling is an important practice in Our Shared Way of Life.
As we enter 2025, we center ourselves on the powerful words of Ephesians 3:16-18:
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ."
These verses invite us to reflect on what it means to be deeply rooted and grounded in God’s love—a state of being that equips us to endure life’s storms, embrace transformation, and share Christ’s love with others. Surprisingly, one of the ways we become more firmly rooted is through wrestling—bringing our doubts, questions, and struggles to God with honesty and trust.
Wrestling: A Sacred Path to Deep Roots
Wrestling with God is not an act of rebellion or weakness but an essential part of our faith journey. It’s in these moments of struggle that we discover God’s faithfulness, deepen our trust, and strengthen our spiritual roots. The stories of Jacob, Job, the psalmist, and Thomas offer rich examples of how wrestling with questions and doubts can lead to greater spiritual resilience and intimacy with God.
Jacob: Wrestling with God and Gaining a New Identity
In Genesis 32:22-32, Jacob physically wrestles with God through the night, refusing to let go until he receives a blessing. This wrestling match leaves Jacob with both a limp and a new name, Israel—“one who wrestles with God.”
What it teaches us: Jacob’s wrestling symbolizes the struggle of faith, where we confront our fears, limitations, and questions. Through this process, Jacob emerges transformed, his identity forever tied to his encounter with God. Wrestling does not weaken our faith; it solidifies our dependence on God’s strength rather than our own.
Job: Questioning the Mystery of Suffering
The story of Job is a profound example of wrestling with God in the face of suffering and injustice. Job doesn’t shy away from questioning God’s justice, lamenting his circumstances, and demanding answers (Job 3:11-26, Job 13:23-24). God’s eventual response (Job 38-41) doesn’t directly answer Job’s questions but reveals God’s sovereignty and wisdom, leading Job to say:
"My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you" (Job 42:5).
What it teaches us: Wrestling allows us to move from knowing about God to experiencing God personally. It deepens our trust in God’s character, even when we don’t understand His ways or our circumstances don’t change.
The Psalmist: Wrestling with Lament and Praise
The psalms are filled with raw expressions of doubt and questioning. In Psalm 22, the psalmist cries, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Yet the psalm transitions into a declaration of trust and praise, “You who fear the Lord, praise him!” (Psalm 22:1, 23). This pattern of lament leading to trust is echoed throughout the Psalms.
What it teaches us: Wrestling with God through prayer and lament doesn’t distance us from Him; it invites us into deeper intimacy. The psalmist’s honest questioning creates space for God to meet them in their pain, reaffirming their rootedness in God’s steadfast love.
Thomas: Doubting and Declaring Faith
When the risen Jesus appeared to some of the disciples, Thomas voiced his doubt: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). When Jesus appears again he meets Thomas in his doubt, inviting him to touch His wounds. Thomas responds with one of the most profound declarations of faith: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
What it teaches us: Doubt isn’t the enemy of faith; it can be a doorway to deeper trust. God meets us in our wrestling, offering reassurance and clarity that strengthen our belief.
Wrestling as a Way to Be Rooted and Grounded in Love
In each of these stories, wrestling leads to transformation and greater rootedness in God’s love. Jacob finds a new identity; Job discovers a deeper trust in God’s sovereignty; the psalmist moves from lament to praise; and Thomas moves from doubt to faith. Their struggles didn’t pull them away from God but drew them closer, rooting their lives more firmly in God’s truth and love.
Wrestling shapes us into people who can weather the storms of life. It teaches us to hold onto God even when answers are unclear and to trust that His love is wide, long, high, and deep enough to hold all our doubts and questions. As we face our own uncertainties, may we see them not as obstacles but as invitations to become more deeply rooted and grounded in God’s unshakable love.
Invitation to Reflection
Consider the questions or doubts you are carrying today. How might God be inviting you to wrestle with them? As you do, trust that He will meet you in the struggle, strengthening you with power through His Spirit so that you, too, may be rooted and grounded in His love.
