Photo by Fabien Bazanegue on Unsplash
Are you in new territory, surrounded by people who don’t quite speak your language, feeling adrift, not sure what’s going on and how you got here?
Maybe you’re trying to figure out whether your being punished, or being stretched by the Lord, maybe taken a wrong turn.
I’ve always believed God is not limited to our choices, He can and will work His purpose in and around you if you keep Him number 1 in your life.
I want to encourage you from a scripture that I think has been misquoted often or maybe better to say quoted out of context.
Most of us know this scripture it’s found in Jeremiah 29.11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
And to be honest I probably would never have used it in a blog as I think it is over quoted – but here I am…
The context is the people, priests, prophets and elders of Judea and Jerusalem had been scattered and captured, taken off to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar (at the Lord’s instruction – because of their behaviour).
Jeremiah came with a Word for them and they gathered expectantly – expecting the Lord was going to deliver them, to fight for them, to sort out these captors – just as he had done so many times before.
WHAT
Maybe you’re expecting the same as you face change – praying for deliverance, for release, to be rescued, avenged.
But now hear what Jeremiah said – settle in, pray for these captors, continue on with new life, increase in captivity, seek the welfare of captors, even down to build houses and plant gardens, marry off your sons and daughters.
What verse 11 means is “GOD Knows” and leave it at that. Obey don’t rebel so he can bring about the plans. Don’t help him. Don’t be like Adam and Eve who gained knowledge but lost paradise in their rebellion seeking to ‘help’ God.
HOW
Pray for the people, situation, environment you now find yourself in – bless them/it with health, prosperity, fulfilment as if your life depends on it.
Commit yourself and your family to the new situation – make plans to dwell in it – learn how to live and flourish in it.
Multiply yourself – your time, your talent, your growth, your things, your thoughts.
Control and subdue the current situation. Wherever you are and whatever situation you are in, you are called and equipped to control the scripture says.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1.26
Dominion (Radah) means to rule, to govern, to master, to manage, sovereign authority, to lead.
And Flourish.
WHY
Time and time again I’ve been pushed, chosen, blind sided into hard situations – uncertainty – sometimes losing all I’ve known. And time and time again by staying obedient and focusing on my heavenly Father – his plans revealed produced a better me – without these changes my faith would not have grown, my certainty in who I am wouldn’t exist.
The paradox is that Change has produced steadfastness, a solidification of who I am – and it will for you as well.