Self Fulfilling Prophecy

Genesis 47:7-47:9

Jacob spoke of his journey in this life. What hardship he must have experience?! (puts us to shame) – though much caused by his own actions). He went from the comfort of his home, fleeing in fear from Esau, didn’t get the wife he wanted though he worked 7 long hard years, was short changed by his Uncle Laban, had to deal with demands and the nitty gritty of his 4 wives, and 11 sons (excluding Benjamin), lost his beloved wife Rachel, lost his beloved son Joseph then for a while, Benjamin, endured famine and at 130 years had to move from his home to Egypt. He didn’t see this as God’s way of slowly chipping at his stubborn, wilful and self reliant ways. He didn’t see it as God moulding the one He loves (for a father chastises a son he loves). He didn’t see that 130 years is a long life (he only saw that it was shorter than Abraham and Issacs). He didn’t see that God saved him from Esau, returned Dinah to him, saved him from hunger, gave him 12 sons, fulfilled the promise He made to his forefathers. Perhaps how he responded to his hardship “shortened” his life. Perhaps his words of complain of his short life became self-fulfilling prophecy. How we respond to life’s hardship determines how much of a roll these hardships will take on us. Hard as it may be let us praise God, and have thankful words in all circumstances.