God Knows Best

This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Jeremiah 29:4-7, NIV

God basically said to the Israelites held in captivity: Keep doing what you are supposed to be doing. You are going to be there a while.

Sometimes, for reasons unknown to us at the time, God keeps us in a trial for longer than we expect. Most of the time, while going through the trial, God expects us to keep doing the things we know to be right. God didn’t tell the Israelites to ‘sit around and wait.’ He didn’t say ‘don’t move a finger until I return.’ He said to build houses, settle down, plant and eat, marry and have children, and to eat, drink and be merry!

Dear friend, if you are going through a trial, the hardest part will be to keep going, because most of the time you just won’t feel like it! I know, because I’ve been there. God is not a quitter god. Aren’t you glad? He didn’t give up on us and He doesn’t want us to give up on Him. You may have to pick yourself up, relying on His strength, of course, and go on with your life, as best you can, until the trial passes.

Notice also that God tells the people to pray for the land and people that are holding them captive. “Say what?”, I can almost hear them ask, “You mean not only do I have to keep going, but I have to pray for these people too?” That’s right! God says as they prosper, so will the Israelites prosper.

If you are in a marriage you don’t like, God may be saying to keep working at it, doing the things you know are right, and to keep praying for your spouse. If you are in a job you don’t like, God may call you to stick it out for a while, being the best worker you can be, praying for your boss and the place where you work. If you are in a city you don’t really won’t to live in, God may be telling you to stay there for now, building your life in Him, and praying for the city in which you live.

Whatever God calls you to do, is for your good. You can trust the One who always knows best.