There are times when you hear a sermon and your soul sings out in agreement at the truth proclaimed.  It’s a wonderful and joyful experience. However, other times the message stabs your heart and you’re convicted. When you’re convicted, you have a choice: to repent and be forgiven, or not. If you choose to not repent, you will wrestle with the Spirit, like Jacob.

You wrestle because pride doesn’t want to listen to the Spirit’s personal message.

The message is personal, because the Holy Spirit knows you better than the pastor does.

Yet pride says you can’t be wrong, so pride wrestles with the Spirit. Pride tackles the problem from all angles to justify it’s position in a harsh and demanding way. Pride stands in the way of repentance and forgiveness.

In contrast, the Spirit gently and lovingly refutes every justification and sweeps them away. The Spirit calls you to repent and accept forgiveness. Let the Spirit hold you gently, accept your repentance and forgive you.

Because ultimately, wrestling with the Spirit allows you to grow closer to God and let go of sin in your life.