Season Surthrival Guide
“Season Surthrival Guide”
by Pastor Andrew Malek
September 27, 2020
This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, 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.” Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.
This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 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.
Jeremiah 29:4-14 (NIV)
Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has plans for us that are good. The difficulty is to hold on long enough to see God’s promises. Based on Jeremiah 29, we can learn three things from the Lord’s instructions to the Israelites.
1. Set your feet
The Israelites are in shock and shame due to where they find themselves--in exile. Like us in 2020, one thing hits them after another. We never asked for a difficult season, a pandemic, political turmoil, or racial issues, but, when these things happen, Jesus wants us to do more than survive; we need a season “surthrival” guide.
The Israelites want their exile to end quickly, but God tells them to build houses, settle down, and prepare for an exile that will last several generations. As Paul describes in Philippians 4:11, God wants us to learn to be content in all circumstances. There is something for us to learn while we are waiting. While we should not stay longer than God calls us to be in a certain place or an uncomfortable season, we should not run from what God is trying to teach us either.
Daniel was also in exile serving a Persian king, and he too waited faithfully on God’s timing. Proverbs 16:9 tells us that we may make plans, but God is the one who determines our steps. We set our feet where he wants them to be. When we suffer for a long time, we can come up with plenty of reasons to stop trusting him, but we shouldn’t look for the exit; we must set our feet to stay, to grow, and to let God do his work.
2. Set your standard
God instructs the Israelites not to trust in false prophets. If we label something good which is not good and not from God, we demonstrate a low standard to the world. We need to refer to God to discern what is from him and what is not. Isaiah 59:19 says God’s power will come in like a flood.
Daniel, empowered by God, raised a standard of love and faithfulness, refusing to compromise God’s ways. This brought Daniel's success. We want to be faithful and empowered by obeying God’s standard. We don’t want to compromise with our response in a difficult season. Making God’s standard our own standard ensures victory.
3. Set your heart
In tough seasons where there is doubt, fear, and hurt, we need to trust that we are in the hands of a loving Savior. We don’t want what is going on to dictate our response. David, the Psalmist, prayed three times a day and trusted God with his heart, even in his greatest struggle. Jeremiah says if we seek God, we will find him. We must set our hearts on God in the disappointment and the struggle. Although we may not want to be in this season of hardship, Jesus is in it with us.
While in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany, Victor Frankl said that spiritual freedom cannot be taken away. It makes life meaningful and purposeful. Dallas Willard says God saves us by the realistic restoration of our heart to God and then by dwelling there with his Father through the distinctly divine Spirit. It is this indwelling of God that makes our faithfulness and steadfastness possible.
Reflection/Discussion Questions:
1. Can you recall times that you or others followed God by setting your feet, standard, and heart in the midst of a challenging season or circumstance? What happened when you or someone you know faced a hardship in this way?
2. Have you ever failed to set your feet, standard and heart in line with God when hard times hit? How did you recover?
3. What has this pandemic taught you about faithfulness in hardship?
4. What can you do to strengthen your mind and heart to follow God in “surthrival”?