Blooming in Exile: Finding Peace and Prosperity
- Jess Jarrett
- Oct 20, 2023
- 2 min read
Blooming in Exile: Finding Peace and Prosperity
In the quiet of the night, the words of Jeremiah 29:7 resonated deeply, challenging the well-worn comfort of Jeremiah 29:11. It's a passage that invites us to explore the full tapestry of God's plan and our journey through life.
Many of us have experienced moments when we felt like strangers in a foreign land, dragged from our comfort zones, facing emotional turmoil and uncertainty. Much like the Israelites in exile, we were grieving, feeling lost, and struggling to see hope on the horizon. This sense of exile might manifest physically or emotionally, but the emotions it stirs are universal.
In moments of exile, we often grieve what was lost - relationships, independence, financial stability, and familiarity. The weight of complex emotions, like PTSD, can make the present seem unbearable. It's a season that demands acknowledgment and healing, one that defies attempts to rush through it with a forced smile.
Yet, amidst the despair, there's a deeper truth in Jeremiah 29:7. Just as God called the Israelites to prosper in their exile, there's a calling for us too. We may yearn for the past or fear the future, but God sees beyond our longing and fear. He has plans for us, plans for prosperity and a hopeful future.
In retrospect, it becomes evident that even in exile, God's purpose persists. He knows that staying in our comfort zones can lead to spiritual stagnation and eventual decline. Just like the Israelites, sometimes exile is a better plan than staying in a place of complacency that might lead to spiritual death.
Your journey through exile has its ups and downs. Mourning, healing, and discovering freedom are essential stages, and there's no right way to navigate them. Your story is a testament to the authenticity of your emotions, and it's okay not to be 'happy' in the conventional sense.
For those of us in seasons of uncertainty, when life keeps throwing plot twists and direction changes, we're called to find prosperity where we've been placed. In the midst of this, we're promised a peace that defies understanding, one that rests in the presence of a God who sees us.
As you pen the chapters of your life, remember the lyrics of that great hymn, "Buleah land, I'm longing for you." Your heart longs for a peaceful, stable place you've never been but know can exist. Until that day arrives, embrace the journey, find peace in the presence of the Almighty, and look forward to the promise of your heavenly home.
This is my story, words and emotions, taken out of my journals from recent years, written as neutrally as i could manage, to attempt to keep the message on Christ, and not on me. This can be your story too, a story that is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the unwavering love of a God who guides us through exile into prosperity.
~Jessica
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