“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…” (Jeremiah 29:4-5)

Before I was sent to the mission field, I was required to attend a pre-field orientation. Out of all the things I was taught, one piece of advice stuck with me the most. They said that we needed to unpack. I believe this is what helped me to thrive while overseas.  In the organization I served with, missionaries were only required to sign up for two years at a time.  Because of this short-term commitment, many lived like they were leaving soon. They may have physically unpacked their suitcases, but they didn’t unpack their minds. Many never bothered adjusting to the new culture. They thought of their assignment as temporary; which changed how they lived while they were serving. It made them less fulfilled and effective.

Twenty years later, when I moved back to the U.S., I only planned to stay a couple of years to help my mom. Because of that, I bought cheap furniture and didn’t put down any roots. However, God kept reminding me to unpack. I needed to stop thinking about leaving and look for what God was asking me to do now. God had a plan for me here and I needed to submit to it.

The exiles were in a tough situation. The Israelites were forced into exile in Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. This was much harder than adjusting to a different culture; they didn’t have a choice. They had every reason to be depressed, angry, or even feel hopeless, yet Jeremiah says that it was the Lord that sent them there (by way of the King of Babylon).

God doesn’t waste suffering. He had a plan for the exiles that would prosper them.  He desired to give them a future and hope. But He also had a plan for Babylon. He basically sent a bunch of missionaries into a heathen land that desperately needed God.

He didn’t want the Israelites to complain, be depressed, and wait for deliverance. He wanted them to unpack-to put down roots and make a difference where they were.

Sometimes we step into difficult situations by choice and other times, like the exiles, we are thrust into them. In both situations, God is asking us not only to unpack but to flourish. 

When you find yourself in a chaotic situation, I suggest asking God to show you what He is doing.

1. Look for ways that He is working. I recommend keeping a journal, so you can look back on what God has done.
2. Look for how He wants to use you to bless someone else. How can you make the situation better? Who needs your help?
3. Seek a closer relationship with God. Hard times, struggles, and the general chaos of life can push us to seek God and grow closer to Him. Many share that it was through these times that they really grew in their faith.

Like the Israelite exiles, God has a plan for our lives too- even in the midst of change, suffering, or hard times. He doesn’t want us to wait until everything is easy again to start living. He wants to use us now. If you are willing to submit to God’s will and follow His lead, He will help you to flourish right here and right now.