Pastor Hana’s Weekly Reflection
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How do you see God’s faithfulness at work in your family and relationships, especially amid conflict or struggle?
Reconciliation Starts with Obedience
Confession time, have you ever gotten into a fight with your sibling or a close friend over something small? Like: who gets to sit in the front seat, who ate the last slice of pizza, or who’s hogging the TV? Those moments start silly, but they can blow up fast. Now imagine that same kind of conflict, but instead of fighting over pizza, you’re fighting over your dad’s blessing that determines your whole future. That’s exactly what happened with Jacob and Esau.
Family conflict is nothing new. In Genesis 26-30, we see Isaac, Jacob, and Esau all wrestling with tension, jealousy, and broken trust. Esau felt cheated out of his father’s blessing, and his anger toward Jacob turned into a deep grudge. Jacob himself had deceived and manipulated his way into getting what he wanted. The result? A family torn apart by conflict.
Conflict is something we all experience. Sometimes in families, sometimes in friendships, sometimes at school or work. Like Jacob and Esau, it usually starts when expectations are broken, trust is damaged, or jealousy creeps in. Left unchecked, conflict can grow into bitterness, resentment, and even hatred.
But here’s the hope: God works even in the mess of conflict.
Later in Genesis (33:4), we see Jacob and Esau meet again, not with violence, but with reconciliation. Esau runs to Jacob, embraces him, and they weep together. What seemed impossible, peace in the middle of conflict, became possible because God was at work in both their hearts.
Conflict is hard, but how we respond matters. Do we let grudges grow, like Esau? Or do we humble ourselves and seek peace, like Jacob eventually did? Jesus calls us to be peacemakers, which means taking the first step toward forgiveness, even when it’s not easy.
And here’s the good news: when we choose to obey God in these hard moments, He blesses us. It may not look like instant resolution, but obedience opens the door for God’s peace, His favour, and His presence in our lives. Just as Jacob’s story didn’t end in conflict but in reconciliation and blessing, our obedience to God, even in messy situations, invites His hand to work in powerful ways.