exile

The Bible tells us to "Endure hardship as discipline" and that "God is treating you as his children." (Hebrews 12:7) Later in the same passage it says that "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11)

The Bible also says that "We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:2-5)

It's comforting to think of those passages. In the face of real suffering it's hard to think like that. Suffering always seems unreasonable and out of control because we aren't in control. It's hard to rejoice, it's hard to be at peace and it's hard to believe that God has something good in mind for you. 

In Jeremiah 29:11, we read: "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." That statement has a very interesting context. The Israelites had been carried into exile, and all the false prophets were speaking a message of consolation - saying that within a year or two, the people would be back home. Jeremiah - a real prophet - wrote a letter about God's true will and intentions, and his message was SO different. God said to the people, settle down in Babylon. Build houses, plant crops, get married, find spouses for your kids. Because I am going to bring you back after 70 years. 

Verses 13 and 14 read, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity." 

It must have been so hard to accept that message, especially when God says, if you seek me with all your heart I will be found by you and will bring you back from captivity. 

I was going to write about the lesson from this but I would be paraphrasing a message I heard so here is the actual message. 

This is one of my all time favorite messages from the Bible. I love it because it's so poignant. Pastor Butch Yu's message is that God's best intent is found in life's worst events. 

I love the way he fleshes out the message. You can imagine what it was like for the Israelites. They were devastated to have been carried into exile. Exile is like the very definition of what you don't want. The false prophets said, don't worry, just put up with this for a year or two, and then you will be brought home. God says the unthinkable: this is your home now. And that's the context in which God says, 'I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.' 

Normally we associate that verse with the kind of message that the false prophets were preaching. We think it means that God has plans for us, to prosper us according to our ideas of prosperity. But God has something better in mind. 

The good news is that, as Pastor Butch Yu says, God was with the Israelites in Babylon. They had the idea that they needed the temple and the culture of Jerusalem to really have fellowship with God, but no, they had the same access to God where they were. They could have a relationship with God where they are. 

This year has been probably the worst year of my life. But it has changed me for the better, and I have been an active participant in that transformation. I have been well and truly out of my comfort zone. I had no comfort zone. In the midst of that and through advice I was given and conversations I had and reflection, ideas began to form about how I was starting a new life and I had to aggressively strive to achieve my daily goals. I had to fight for these things every day. And there has been one overwhelming challenge after another. It seemed to get harder all the time rather than getting easier. But there is always times of respite as well. 

I'm doing a lot more now. I'm living a new life. Without the crises and challenges and difficulties I would not be.