Transformed by Favor: Jacob's Journey Beyond Laban
Gen. 31:2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
When favor brings change, faces also change! For many years, Laban took advantage of Jacob. He tricked him into working seven years more than originally agreed upon for the wife of his choice. During this time, he also changed his wages ten times. Jacob had to fight long and hard for what he had. Even still, Jacob said to his wives, “…but God suffered him not to hurt me.” In other words, Laban could not keep Jacob’s blessings from flowing his way. The harder he tried, the more God blessed Jacob.
Then one day, everything changed. Laban’s sons stirred up in him a jealousy of sorts, convincing him that the only reason Jacob was great was because of him. It is at this point that Laban looks at Jacob differently than before. Rather than celebrating Jacob’s success and the success he brought to Laban’s house, Laban chose rather to allow a spirit of jealousy to enter his heart.
You see, now that Laban could no longer oppress Jacob; now that Jacob became stronger and mightier than he; now that Jacob no longer needed Laban as a partner in order to survive, Laban’s countenance changed. Then something interesting happened; God began to redirect Jacob’s destiny! God was fixing to relocate Jacob, and He did not need him tied down to his oppressive circumstances and greedy companions any longer. So, He positioned Jacob to be able to walk when He said walk, without any motivation to stay behind.
Here is the application for us; when God gets ready to reposition us and line us up with our destiny, He puts us in a place where we, like Jacob, have both the means and the motivation to head into new direction. You may be in a place where you recognize that you’re not in your final destination. The place you stand is not the place you know God ultimately has for you. If that is the case, rest assured that as you continually seek His face, He is preparing you step by step, so that, when the time comes for you to make the move, you will be in the right place at the right time with the right people in order for it to happen!
Don’t cry over the changing of faces; people are going to get jealous, but remember, it was their choice not to make the journey with you, not yours! So, be prepared for changes of favor to transform your life!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
When favor brings change, faces also change! For many years, Laban took advantage of Jacob. He tricked him into working seven years more than originally agreed upon for the wife of his choice. During this time, he also changed his wages ten times. Jacob had to fight long and hard for what he had. Even still, Jacob said to his wives, “…but God suffered him not to hurt me.” In other words, Laban could not keep Jacob’s blessings from flowing his way. The harder he tried, the more God blessed Jacob.
Then one day, everything changed. Laban’s sons stirred up in him a jealousy of sorts, convincing him that the only reason Jacob was great was because of him. It is at this point that Laban looks at Jacob differently than before. Rather than celebrating Jacob’s success and the success he brought to Laban’s house, Laban chose rather to allow a spirit of jealousy to enter his heart.
You see, now that Laban could no longer oppress Jacob; now that Jacob became stronger and mightier than he; now that Jacob no longer needed Laban as a partner in order to survive, Laban’s countenance changed. Then something interesting happened; God began to redirect Jacob’s destiny! God was fixing to relocate Jacob, and He did not need him tied down to his oppressive circumstances and greedy companions any longer. So, He positioned Jacob to be able to walk when He said walk, without any motivation to stay behind.
Here is the application for us; when God gets ready to reposition us and line us up with our destiny, He puts us in a place where we, like Jacob, have both the means and the motivation to head into new direction. You may be in a place where you recognize that you’re not in your final destination. The place you stand is not the place you know God ultimately has for you. If that is the case, rest assured that as you continually seek His face, He is preparing you step by step, so that, when the time comes for you to make the move, you will be in the right place at the right time with the right people in order for it to happen!
Don’t cry over the changing of faces; people are going to get jealous, but remember, it was their choice not to make the journey with you, not yours! So, be prepared for changes of favor to transform your life!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill