The lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob reveal different expressions of faith and different stages of spiritual maturity. Abraham demonstrated pioneering faith. He left behind security, family ties, and inheritance because he trusted the promises of God. Isaac’s faith was quieter and more submissive. His willingness to trust both his father and God when he was offered on the altar reflected a faith that surrendered without resistance. Jacob, however, represents the struggle of many believers. He wanted God’s blessing, yet he often tried to obtain it through his own wisdom, manipulation, and timing. His life became a long process of transformation in which God patiently shaped him from a self-reliant deceiver into a man who learned to trust and obey. Through Jacob’s story, we learn that delighting in God’s will is not natural to the human heart; it grows as we learn that God’s purposes are always good.

PRAYER.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for revealing Yourself. Thank You for showing us that faith can grow and mature through every season of life. Thank You that You are patient with Your children and faithful to complete the work You begin in us.

Lord, we confess that many times we desire Your blessings, yet we often want things according to our own plans, timing, and wisdom. Forgive us for trusting ourselves more than trusting You. Teach us to delight in Your will, not merely as a duty, but as the pathway to true life, peace, and blessing. Help us believe with all our hearts that Your purposes are always good.

Transform us by Your Word and renew our minds so that we may understand Your will more clearly. Give us hearts that are fully surrendered to You. Remove every idol, every fear, and every desire that competes with Your place in our lives. Teach us to walk by faith and not by sight, knowing that real faith is always expressed through obedience.

Thank You that You do not give up on us even when we struggle. Continue to shape our character until we reflect Christ more and more. Help us to find our identity not in our failures or weaknesses, but in the truth that we are Your children through Jesus Christ.

May our lives bring glory to You. Let our obedience become worship, our surrender become joy, and our faith become a testimony of Your grace and faithfulness.

In the name of Jesus Christ we pray,

Amen.

PSALM 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.”

Doing God’s will is not meant to be a burdensome duty but a joyful response of love and trust. We learn to delight in God’s will when we truly believe that He is good and that His plans for us are always for our best. The more we know God’s character, the more we trust His direction. Obedience then becomes not merely an obligation, but an expression of faith and intimacy with Him.

Three important things about the will of God from the life of Jacob.

1. God wants us to know His will and to do His will.

2. God’s will will protect us from unnecessary pain.

3. God’s will is our ultimate blessing.

We cannot truly delight in God’s will unless our relationship with Him becomes personal. God’s will is not simply a set of rules to follow; it is the pathway of fellowship with Him. And we cannot delight in His will if we neglect His Word, because His Word reveals His heart, renews our minds, and teaches us how to walk in His ways. The more His truth fills our hearts, the more we will trust Him, obey Him, and delight in doing His will.

ROMANS 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Understanding God’s will begins with surrender. God’s will is not discovered merely through intelligence or circumstances but through a transformed life. The passage connects worship with total dedication—offering ourselves fully to God. When the heart refuses surrender, the mind becomes clouded and unable to discern God’s direction. This is why a relationship with God is essential. Transformation happens through the renewing of the mind by God’s Word, enabling believers to recognize that God’s will is “good and acceptable and perfect.” The world teaches self-centered living, but God’s will leads toward holiness, trust, and Christlikeness. Faith and obedience cannot be separated because genuine faith expresses itself through submission to God.

The Christian life is built upon what may be called God’s triangle of blessings. At the center and highest point is God Himself—the source of every blessing, the giver of life, the author of truth, and the One whose presence satisfies the deepest needs of the human heart. True blessing is not primarily found in possessions, success, or comfort, but in knowing God, walking with Him, and living under His favor and guidance.

The two foundations of this life are faith and obedience. Faith means trusting God completely—trusting His character, His promises, His Word, and His timing even when circumstances are difficult or unclear. Obedience is the natural result of genuine faith. When we truly believe God is good and trustworthy, we will follow Him. Faith without obedience is incomplete, and obedience without faith becomes empty duty. The two cannot be separated because real faith always produces a willingness to obey.

When a believer lives in this relationship of trusting and obeying God, he lives inside God’s triangle of blessing. It is the life God desires for His people—a life blessed not merely for personal benefit, but so that we may become a blessing to others. The closer we walk with God in faith and obedience, the more we experience the fullness, peace, and joy that come from living according to His will.

GENESIS 35

1 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”

God’s gracious initiative toward Jacob. Even after years of wandering and compromise, God called Jacob back to Bethel, the place where He first revealed Himself. This demonstrates that God does not abandon His people even when they drift.

GENESIS 28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

Fleeing from Esau, Jacob encountered God at Bethel and made a vow to Him. Jacob desired God’s presence, protection, provision, and safe return, and he promised that the Lord would be his God and that he would worship and honor Him with his possessions. At this point, Jacob’s relationship with God was still somewhat conditional.

GENESIS 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar, where you made a vow to Me; now arise, leave this land, and return to the land of your birth.’ ”

Thirty years later, God reminded Jacob of that very vow. Jacob may have moved on with life, become busy with work, family, and personal struggles, but God had not forgotten what was promised at Bethel. This reveals the personal and enduring nature of God’s covenant relationship with His people. God remembers our commitments because He takes our relationship with Him seriously. Human beings often forget promises made during moments of desperation or spiritual encounter, but God does not overlook them.

GOD WANTS US TO KNOW HIS WILL.

God is not hiding His will from His children. He desires to guide those who sincerely seek Him. His guidance begins with Scripture because His character and truth never change. God will never direct us toward something sinful, deceptive, or contrary to His revealed truth.

Desires can also play a role in discernment. When a believer walks closely with God, the Lord often shapes the heart’s desires according to His purposes. Yet desires alone are not enough because human emotions can be misleading. Every desire must be examined carefully in light of Scripture.

GOD’S WILL WILL PROTECT US.

God’s will protects us, but it does not exempt us from trials and difficulties. Walking with God does not mean a problem-free life. Storms will still come, sorrows will still happen, and challenges will still arise. However, when we are in God’s will, we are secure in His presence and under His care. We may go through storms, but we are not destroyed by them.

God’s protection is often seen not in the absence of danger, but in His faithful preservation through it. We are not storm-free, but by God’s grace, we become storm-proof because He is with us.

GENESIS 35:5 As they journeyed, there was a great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob... 8 Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth... 16 Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe labor... 18 It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.

The surrounding cities could have retaliated against Jacob’s family, yet God placed fear upon them and restrained their enemies. This does not mean believers will avoid every trial, but it does mean God sovereignly guards His purposes for His people. Walking in God’s will does not remove storms from life; it makes believers secure within them.

Rachel named the child Ben-oni, “son of my sorrow,” reflecting pain and despair. Jacob renamed him Benjamin, “son of my right hand,” transforming the situation through faith. Instead of allowing suffering to define the future, Jacob viewed the child through the lens of hope and strength. This illustrates how God enables His people to triumph spiritually even in seasons of heartbreak. Faith does not deny sorrow, but it refuses to let sorrow have the final word.

GOD'S WILL IS OUR ULTIMATE BLESSING.

GENESIS 49:3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn; My might and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and reeminent in power. 4 Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.

As the firstborn, Reuben was expected to carry honor, leadership, strength, and spiritual influence within the family. Because Reuben gave in to sinful desire and defiled his father’s bed, he lost the honor and leadership that could have been his. This passage teaches that giftedness, position, and opportunity are not enough. Character and self-control are essential in walking with God.

1 CHRONICLES 5:1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright.

Reuben’s sin was not overlooked by God. Though he remained Jacob’s son, he eventually lost the privileges and honor of the firstborn because of his actions. Sin forgiven does not mean consequences removed. Every time we ignore God’s will and follow our own desires, damage follows—spiritually, relationally, and sometimes even for future generations.

GENESIS 35:19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)... 27Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. 28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. 29 Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, an old man of ripe age; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Because Jacob followed God’s direction, he was reunited with his father before Isaac died. God restored relationships and allowed generations of the covenant family to spend meaningful time together. Obedience often produces blessings that extend beyond the individual believer and affect entire families. Yet the chapter also reminds us that sin still brings consequences.

GENESIS 35:22 It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.

Even after Jacob returned to Bethel and renewed his relationship with God, tragedy still entered his home. Reuben, his firstborn son, committed a grievous sin that brought shame and sorrow to the family. This shows that even godly people live in a fallen world where sin still has painful consequences.

The passage also teaches that our choices matter.

GENESIS 35:7 He built an altar there, and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother... 9 Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him. 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name.” Thus He called him Israel.

Jacob built an altar and worshiped God as “El-bethel,” emphasizing not merely the place of worship but the God who revealed Himself there. Jacob’s relationship with God had become personal and intimate. Earlier he was fascinated with blessings and protection; now he treasured God Himself. This is the greatest blessing of obedience—deeper fellowship with God. In this encounter God reaffirmed Jacob’s new identity as Israel. Jacob, the deceiver, became Israel, the prince of God. The transformation of his name symbolized the transformation of his character. God’s will does not merely improve behavior; it creates a new identity.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Everyone in Christ becomes a new creation. Believers are no longer defined by their former life, sins, or failures. Their identity is now rooted in Christ.

1 JOHN 3:1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are... 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Christians still struggle with sin, but sin no longer defines who they are. God’s purpose is progressive transformation into Christlikeness. The more believers understand their new identity, the more they desire purity and obedience. God’s will is ultimately about becoming like Jesus.

GENESIS 35:11 God also said to him, “I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come forth from you. 12 The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you.”

God reminded Jacob that His plans extended beyond personal blessing to future generations and nations. God blesses His people so they may become channels of blessing to others. His promises remain secure because they rest on His faithfulness, not human strength.

GALATIANS 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

all who belong to Christ are heirs of Abraham’s promise. Through faith in Christ, believers become part of God’s covenant family and inherit spiritual blessings rooted in God’s eternal promises.

GENESIS 35:2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments;

God required repentance and purification. Jacob commanded his household to put away foreign gods and cleanse themselves because intimacy with God cannot coexist with idolatry. The crisis at Shechem exposed the danger of compromise and forced Jacob to recognize that he could not remain spiritually divided. God used circumstances, inner conviction, and His spoken Word together to direct Jacob back into His will. The lesson here is that discerning God’s will involves alignment between Scripture, godly desire, circumstances, and peace from God. Yet Scripture remains the final authority. Any desire or opportunity that contradicts God’s Word cannot be His will. True surrender means removing idols, putting God first, and leaving behind the old life.

GENESIS 35:3 and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.”

Earlier in life Jacob often acted independently, but now he openly testified that God had been faithful throughout his distress. Jacob recognized that God’s presence, not his own cleverness, had preserved him. This marks a major change in his character. Instead of manipulating circumstances, he now leads his family toward worship. Obedience became an expression of gratitude and trust rather than fear or self-interest. This transformation demonstrates that spiritual growth occurs when people begin to see God’s faithfulness across their entire journey.

Circumstances may confirm direction, but open doors are not automatically God’s will. Sometimes God allows obstacles to test faith, patience, and obedience. Wise counsel from mature believers and prayerful reflection help guard against impulsive decisions. Above all, the question should always be: “Will this glorify God?” If a decision draws attention away from God or compromises obedience, it should be reconsidered.

God’s peace is also significant. True peace is not merely emotional comfort but a settled confidence that comes from walking in obedience to Him. When confusion, unrest, or compromise dominate the heart, it may be wise to pause, pray, and wait for clearer guidance. God is faithful to direct those who humbly surrender themselves to Him and seek His will above their own.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for reminding us that Your will is good, acceptable, and perfect. Teach us to delight in Your will and not merely obey You out of duty. Help us to trust You completely, knowing that Your plans are always for our good and for Your glory.

Lord, guard our hearts from pride, compromise, and uncontrolled desires. Give us wisdom to walk in obedience and self-control so that we will not lose the blessings and opportunities You have entrusted to us. Help us to take sin seriously and to live lives that honor You in our thoughts, words, and actions.

Thank You that even in our failures, Your grace continues to pursue and transform us. Continue to shape us into people who trust You, obey You, and worship You wholeheartedly. Remind us that our true identity is found in Christ and that Your purpose is to make us more like Him each day.

May we walk closely with You, remain faithful to Your Word, and become a blessing to others. Let our lives reflect Your presence, Your truth, and Your love.

In the name of Jesus Christ we pray,

Amen.

The content of this article is adapted from the source below:

Blessed to Bless - Delight to do God's Will