Beyond the Weekend: Finding Hope in Family Conflict
In Finding Hope in Family Conflict, Pastor Jeff Manion and other teachers examines the life of Jacob. This series helps us see we make many of the same mistakes as Jacob. Like God does with Jacob, he is patient with us and continues to draw us closer to him. When we learn to rely completely upon God, we are more able to successfully navigate the conflicts in our own life.
Unvalued and Unloved
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
…[Jacob’s] love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah… Genesis 29:30
Read: Genesis 29:15-35
Listen: Genesis 29
TODAY'S MESSAGE
The household of Jacob is not a happy place. Everyone knows Jacob loves Rachel but not Leah, including his 10 sons from Leah and the handmaidens Zilpah and Bilhah. Rachel and Leah are in a bitter competition to produce sons. Leah can conceive, and Rachel cannot. It gets worse when Rachel finally has Joseph. This family is overwhelmed by an atmosphere of sibling rivalry, competition, fighting and favoritism.
Jacob’s sons clearly understand how he feels about them. The son of Rachel—loved. The sons of Leah, Zilpah and Bilhah—not loved. Being unvalued and unloved is a dark space for these sons that spawns resentment and retaliation.
We all walk through spaces where we feel unvalued and unloved. It could be sibling rivalry in our own family, lack of appreciation at work or being ignored by peers. The thing is that God values and loves us—not for our looks, gifts or personalities—but for who we are. The Psalmist writes, “For you [God] created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:13-14).
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
In what space do you feel unvalued and unloved? Remember God sees you as wonderful and thinks about you all day. Read Psalm 139:1-18 and journal the verses that apply and speak to your situation.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
