Never Going Back: Exchanging the Everyday for God's ExtraordinaryUkázka

### Running from Hard #### Reflect Jacob had established a pattern for his life: when things got hard, he ran away. Because of this strategy, he found himself completely alone one night, fleeing for his life toward an unknown future. Every direction he looked, something difficult was waiting. It was time to stop running. As he wrestled with God, Jacob finally found the purpose and strength he’d been missing. When he stopped running, God granted him his true identity. No longer was he Jacob, a deceiver and a grasper. Now he was Israel—one who struggles and overcomes. For many of us, the hard things we’ve been running from have found their way to the surface in this season. We’re all too aware of our failings, our weaknesses, and the sin that draws us. As life slowly begins to fill back up with distractions and busyness, we can either run away from the hard truths in front of us, or we can ask God to give us the courage to wrestle with him. It’s probably going to hurt. We might always walk a little differently afterward. But isn’t it better to walk with a limp toward God’s purposes than to take the easy and empty path of avoidance? #### React 1. What hard situations or issues do you find yourself quick to run from? 2. Where have you shown courage to face some of those situations instead of running? 3. Where have those situations left you with a limp or scar, but led to positive change? 4. Are you wrestling with any current situations you need courage from God to face?