In my devotions today, I read Genesis 27:39-40 (NLT) which says “His father, Isaac, said to him, ‘You will live off the land and what it yields, [40] and you will live by your sword. You will serve your brother for a time, but then you will shake loose from him and be free.’”
I was struck by the end of this verse where it says “you will serve your brother for a time, and then you will shake loose from him and be free” Esau was, I am sure, angry first of all at himself for selling his birthright for a bowl of soup. (Are you really that hungry from being out hunting that you sell something that important? Thankfully I have never been that hungry before.) He was also angry because his brother, Jacob had tricked his father, Isaac into giving Jacob his blessing instead of Esau. I think he did have reason to be angry. I am sure forgiveness wasn’t foremost on this mind.
Shortly after Esau realized that he no longer could have the first born blessing, he begged Isaac to bless him anyways. This is where this scripture comes in. When Isaac went to bless him he essentially was saying there will come a time that you will grow tired of being angry and chose to forgive your brother Jacob and when you do that you will be free.
Unforgiveness can become our master; we can become a slave to it. It rules our thoughts and actions in a negative way. When we let go by forgiving someone we can be free of that bondage that comes with it. Much later in the story we see that forgiveness has happened for Esau when Jacob returns he is afraid that Esau will want to kill him but instead sees that Esau has “let go” and embraces and welcomes him home.
Are you struggling with anger or unforgiveness? Are you tired of hanging on so tightly that you don’t have joy or freedom? “Shake it loose”!! Ask the Holy Spirit to help you let go. Let’s not be a slave to unforgiveness because when we are we can’t be free.
