Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. (Jer. 29:7)
LIVING IN A BUSTLING urban environment like the nation’s capital can be challenging if you grew up in a small rural town. Young adults and seasoned professionals alike move to large cities each year and remain throughout their careers, but many of them have difficulty adjusting to urban culture. What seems like a comfortable life for some may be an undesirable existence for others. The critical difference in living and existing on any foreign front is how we choose to handle its unique set of circumstances, knowing that God has a perfect plan for us.
The prophet Jeremiah was familiar with foreign fronts when he communicated with the elders who were in exile in Babylon. Through Jeremiah, the Lord instructed the people to make the best of their situation by building houses, marrying and having children, and enjoying any riches the land may produce. In the end, God’s preferred way of life for the exiled people came to fruition.
No matter where life takes us or where we call home, God is in the midst of everything we do. God may call us to be content within unfamiliar circumstances to allow His plan to unfold. In every situation, we can trust God’s perfect plan that gives abundance beyond human measure and imagination. Our greatest hope for the best life is in the holiness of Jesus Christ and righteousness.
Wherever your road leads, follow Jesus.
Billie Joy Langston writes Christian literature and serves as a Christian hospitality specialist. She is a member of Reid Temple AME Church, Glenn Dale, Maryland.
