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.
- Jeremiah 29:4-6
 
The Lord challenges his people to put down roots in Babylon. Tourists don’t build homes and plant gardens. Those whose lives have been placed on pause don’t marry and have kids. 
 
God calls his people to thrive even while they’re in exile. He wants them to flourish. He wants to see their numbers grow. He wants them to have the experience of the joy of hearth and home. They lost much in exile. But the good and beautiful life is still available to them.
 
This is true for us too. The good and beautiful life is always available to us. We may find ourselves in challenging and desperate situations. We may have moments when we can’t see through the tears. But God is for thriving. And he will make a way for you to experience life and joy … if you are willing.
 
The people needed to hear that building a home in exile wouldn’t be considered settling, wouldn’t be called faithlessness, wouldn’t be punished by God. When we take steps toward thriving, we honor God. These steps testify that we believe God when he says that he is for us: for our salvation and for our good.
 
Where do you need to take a step toward thriving today? What have you been holding back from doing? Where do you need to exercise some faith that God wants you to flourish?