Genesis 47:7-10
Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, Pharaoh asked him, "How old are you?"
And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers." Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

“The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult.” This is what Jacob had to say about his life. Jacob had passed through a lot of difficulties in his life. Of course there were times of joy in his life too, but he remembered the sorrows more because they perhaps outnumbered the joys. There was a time when Jacob worked for getting Rachel as his wife. It was a great joy.
The Bible says, “Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban said, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me." So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. (Genesis 29:18-20)
Jacob got cheated by Laban quite a few times, but actually he was just reaping the rewards for the deceptions that he orchestrated with his mother at home. God worked on Jacob as a potter works on clay and finally he became Israel who understood God’s will and purpose for his life.

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Dr. Johnson Cherian MD. PhD.