December 26

A Comforting Letter

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. — Jer 29:11 BSB

We have much to learn from the wise counsel given in Jeremiah’s letter.

The exiles in Babylon were restless, unwilling to settle in the land where they had been taken. They constantly fretted and planned, reminiscing about the past and plotting ways to return to the inheritance they had lost. Therefore, this letter was sent to them—and to all who find themselves in similar situations.

Are you in a form of captivity? Perhaps your circumstances feel like a prison that holds you. No prisoner in a cell could be more constrained than you feel. You cannot do as you wish, but you can still be faithful. Be the best version of yourself where you are and wait for the Lord’s timing. It is by being faithful in your present duties that you become ready for better opportunities.

Consider the needs of those around you (Jeremiah 29:7). Joseph is a remarkable example of this. Though cast into prison, he ministered to the prisoners there. His presence brought light and comfort as he moved among them, taking a personal interest in their needs: “Why are you so sad today?” (Genesis 40:6-7). In the peace of those we serve, we often find our own peace.

God spoke words of comfort and hope to the captives. Though their situation seemed dire, God’s thoughts toward them were of peace, not harm. So it is with us. Even when everything feels as though it’s against us, God is thinking of us with plans of peace. Our current troubles will pass like water under a bridge. God will surely visit us and fulfill His promises.

In the meantime, we must live lives of constant prayer. “You will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me” (Jeremiah 29:12-14). Live in a spirit of prayer, trust, and conversation with God. He invites us to seek Him, and He promises to respond.

Prayer

We thank You, O Lord, for Your gracious care. When life’s trials fill us with bitterness, help us trust in Your infinite love, which uses life’s discipline to make us partakers of Your holiness. Amen.