Genesis 32:1-33:16

"Then Jacob prayed, 'O God of my grandfather Abraham, and God of my father, Isaac—O LORD, you told me, ‘Return to your own land and to your relatives.’ And you promised me, ‘I will treat you kindly.’ I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant. When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick. Now my household fills two large camps! O LORD, please rescue me from the hand of my brother, Esau. I am afraid that he is coming to attack me, along with my wives and children. But you promised me, ‘I will surely treat you kindly, and I will multiply your descendants until they become as numerous as the sands along the seashore—too many to count.'" v9-12
How would you feel if you knew you were about to meet the person you had cheated out of his most precious possession? Jacob had taken Esau's birthright and his blessing. Now he was about to meet his brother for the first time in 20 years, and he was frantic The last thing he knew was that Esau wanted to kill him. As he collected his thoughts, he decides to pray. When we face a difficult situation or conflict, we can run about frantically or we can pause to pray. Which approach will be more effective? Which approach do I tend to use most often?

Taken for the NLT Life Application Study Bible