Angels, fear, and Jacob

21 Apr, 2026

Dearest brother,

I was going to write, I hope this finds you well, but

How are you?

If you are like me, you probably sometimes find yourself weary, hesitant in approaching our Father, perhaps concerned that He might not be happy with you, judge you unrighteous or not good enough. It's funny how we think He thinks like us, isn't it.

Sometimes I even feel like punishment is waiting for me because of something I did, and it causes my brain to generate all sorts of scenarios. Oftentimes, I'm just scared. Judgement is scary. Judgement from others is scary. Judgement from ourselves can be equally scary, if not more (because we have to hear it all the time).

Can I tell you a secret?
You probably already know it, but it is a secret to me because I realised this recently and have not told anyone.

The very first verse of Genesis 32 (NIV) is this:

Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.

Praise the Lord! What an extraordinary encounter! Imagine meeting the angels of God on your way somewhere, anywhere! I would definitely count that as an indisputable sign that I am heading in the right direction. Particularly and especially so if the Lord told me something like Gen 31:3 “Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”

And indeed He was with him! His angels appeared before him on his way back home.

But then… verse 7: “In great fear and distress Jacob divided…”

In great fear and distress.
Brother, the man followed God’s guidance and just met His angels! He literally just met the angels of God! And so in great fear and distress he divided his people and his animals, anticipating an attack and confessed in his prayers that he was afraid. He did not stop there — he went on and devised a strategy to appease Esau.

The secret I wanted to share with you is that… you can be in great fear and distress even while you are on the good path that Father had planned for you. Even on the path of obedience, you can feel afraid and all your coping strategies can still be activated, after having just met His angels.

Frankly, the whole experience is quite 'Biblical'.

Dearest brother, let us remember this: the fear and distress we feel does not mean our Father is not with us. The fear and distress you feel does not mean His angels are not with you.

May you remember and see for yourself, through all great fear and distress, that He is with you always: He in you, and you in Him.

With love,
Josephine.