How would a successful business matter to the owner who is without peace?
Running From the Past by Ellen Jean Barrier
Running from
Your Past Will Not Guarantee Peace
Fear of
something that has happen in the past is cause for those who want to run away
from a troubling experience to believe they can escape. History can’t be
changed. We can’t go back into our past and change the wrongful acts we have
committed. But we can change our behavior, and improve our attitude toward
others.
Jacob the
Son of Isaac
Like Jacob, many others are looking for ways to escape their
past, due to an experience they would like to forget. In the case of Jacob, who
had stolen his brother’s Esau birthright; he was in fear of his brother who he
believed was going to kill him for what he had done, was running away from his
past, he left home and traveled to another geographic area
thinking he could find peace.
On his
journey, he experienced, hunger, and homelessness
In Desperation, Jacob vowed, It God will be with me, and
will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my
father’s house in peace, then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I
have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me
I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
Jacob Experienced Additional Problems
Jacob’s destination was to take shelter at the home of Laban
When Jacob arrived at the home of Laban, he encountered
unfair treatment.
Laban was a liar and a cheater.
He became an employee and Son-in-law of Laban, who withheld
his wages.
His brother In-laws falsely accused him of taking away all
of Laban’s property.
Jacob
testifies against his father-in-law
Jacob
expresses his disappoint with Laban; making it known to Rachel and Leah, the two
women in his life, that the appearance of Laban’s countenance toward him had
changed, further stating, “but the God of my father hath been with me. And ye
know that with all my power I have served your father: And your father hath
deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God suffered him not to hurt
me.
God Gives
Jacob a Command
Return unto
the land of thy fathers and to thy kindred and I will be with thee.
Jacob
Expresses Remorse to Esau
Jacob
reached out to his brother Esau, to make peace, by sending him a message: Thy
servant Jacob says thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until
now: And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and men-servants, and women-servants:
and I have sent to tell my Lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.
When Jacob
received news that Esau was on his way to meet him with four hundred men, Jacob
was greatly afraid and distressed and prepared his people to escape an attack.
Jacob’s
Prayer
O God of my
father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which sadist unto me,
Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I
am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth, which thou
hast showed unto thy servant: for my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I
am become two hands. Deliver me, I pray thee from the hand of my brother, from
the hand of Esau for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother
with the children. And thou sadist, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot
be numbered for multitude.
Jacob Meets
Esau
Jacob bows
seven times until he comes near his brother.
And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and
kissed him: and thy wept.
Jacob said
to Esau, “I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou
was pleased with me.”
God's plan is
that we humble ourselves and correct the wrongful acts that we commit against
our sisters and brothers, so that we will receive his blessings. It is not his
will that we run from our past, when we commit a wrongful act. Rather, it is his will that we should seek a
peaceful solution with those who we have wronged. This is the only answer to finding
peace.
Jacob became
successful but was without peace
He describes
his success to Esau
“Take, I
pray thee, my blessing that I brought to thee; because, God hath done
graciously to me, and because I have enough.”
Story from
the Book: How to Trust
God When All Other Resources Have Failed
Chapter Six: The Road to Success and Prosperity
Author: Ellen J. Barrier
Author: Ellen J. Barrier
Click here to Order ISBN: 978-0-9794043-0-6
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