Today's reading is Jeremiah 29-32
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| Finding serenity in conflict! |
God's perfect plan for Israel wasn't for them to be conquered yet being God, he saw what was coming and was not surprised. For the people of Israel who had been conquered it was a shock. They didn't know what to do and God sent them a message. The message summed up was “bloom where you're planted" (Jeremiah 29:4-7).
This is perhaps the most difficult action to take. Many times, we want things made right or at least our image of right, but God says, "No." In this situation we see why God has done what he has done, it is because of the disobedience of the people. However, in our lives, we don’t always see everything. It is easy to say, God wanted this, but that isn’t true. God didn’t want it, he just gave man the freedom to do it. This, however, takes us away from our point. My point today is that often God asks us to live right, right where we are. There will come a day of change (Jeremiah 29:10-14), until that time live and be content with where you are.
Yes, there is a time to fight against the system. There is a time to stand against what isn’t right. There is a time also to wait. There is a time to let go. The key is to know when that is. Here in this passage, God is giving the captives instructions on what to do. For us, it may not always be clear. This is why the prayer of serenity is so poignant.
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things, I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the Wisdom to know the difference.
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