Jeremiah 29

As you begin to read through Jeremiah 29 what should become immediately obvious is that God is at work even in the difficult circumstances that the Israelites found themselves in. Yes, they were in exile, but they were there because God sent them there. Truly their circumstances were not by accident or not because there was a force greater than God, but because God was working a plan. We should be comforted in this truth because when we face our own difficulties, we too can know that God is at work. That in fact is a promise we find in Romans 8:28. However, let’s not forget to read far enough to see ultimately what God is trying to do with these difficult circumstances. They were meant to bring the people back to God. How do I know that? Verses 12-14 tell us…

¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

God was using the difficult circumstances to get the people to a place where they eventually call to him and seek him with all their heart. Unfortunately, we all have to admit that we have a tendency to drift from God. We have a tendency to lose sight of his goodness and to lose sight of his will for our lives. When we lose sight of God, we suffer. However, if God allows us to suffer it is because he wants that suffering to draw us back to Him, so we seek Him, so we are found by Him, and then we are restored by Him. That is all good news. If you find yourself in a situation where you are suffering, look to God. I have no doubt that in the midst of the suffering, God is wanting you to seek Him more. If you seek Him with all your heart, you will find God and experience his restoration in your life.