I Sat Alone

Being a Christian for some time now, I have heard a particular verse shared many times over. It is a beautiful verse and offers such hope for the future for a particular group of people.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

This verse is very encouraging and Christians will in general use it to cheer up and inspire a friend going through a hard time. However, I was surprised to see a verse very similar to this one with a completely opposite connotation.

Jeremiah 18:11

“Therefore, Jeremiah, go and warn all Judah and Jerusalem. Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am planning disaster for you instead of good. So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and do what is right.’”

Whoa! To be honest, I didn’t even know this verse existed before this week. The Lord is saying He has plans for disaster and not for good for a group of people. It may be important to see who this group is that the Lord has disastrous plans for. In the verse directly before this one (Jer. 18:10), we see the Lord is referring to a group of people who turned to evil and refused to obey Him.

This is important to note, because we are living in a world today where people say, “Yeah, I believe in God.” However, they have not submitted to obeying His Word or His Will, and they convince those around them that they can indulge in every sinful desire because we are all God’s children, so it’s all good. Well, we may all be God’s creation, but we are not all in right standing with Him.

In Jeremiah 15, the Lord is speaking to Jeremiah. In this chapter, He promises that Jeremiah’s affliction is strengthening him for a good purpose, and the Lord promises Jeremiah a good future even when those around him are facing destruction. The Lord told him that if he did not waver in his trust of the Lord, He would save and deliver Jeremiah, and He would redeem him.

How did Jeremiah live in a way that caused this kind of good response from the Lord? Jeremiah 15:16a,17 tells us:

When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight,

I never joined the people in their merry feasts. I sat alone because your hand was on me. I was filled with indignation at their sins.

Jeremiah devoured, was consumed, and was obsessed with the Word of God! The Word of the Lord brought him pleasure, satisfaction, and joy! Because of this, he was not willing to participate in the sin of those around him. There were groups of people around him that looked like they were having so much fun! They were free to bend to any guilty pleasure they imagined, and they made it look so lively and exciting. However, instead of wanting to join in their sin, he saw it for exactly what it was and wanted no part of it. He even sat alone.

There may be groups of people around us that make sinning look so fun. I pray God gives us eyes to see that the “fun” they are having is leading them straight to disaster. I pray I see all the ways they are failing to be who God created them to be. I may have to sit alone – that’s okay. I may have to miss out on an outing – that’s okay. I may have to overcome a feeling of nervousness at putting my foot down and saying I will not participate – that’s okay!

I may sit alone for a moment, but I will gain fullness of life for my future. I may miss out for a moment, but my family will not miss out on the blessings that will rest on us because of my choices. I may feel uncomfortable for a moment, but when I look at where those people end up, I will feel nothing but thankfulness and satisfaction at the choices I made to not participate with them.

Lord God, my choices have consequences. My choices not only affect me, but they also affect those You have entrusted me with. Please help me not be deceived into thinking that I can live any way my earthly lusts lead me and I won’t face failure and destruction in my life. I know You see every sin. We cannot ever hope to hide anything from You. I pray that Your Word is always my heart’s biggest delight, and I pray that if I need to sit alone or stand alone, for You I always will! You will reward me and bless me with more than anything others try to convince me I am missing out on.

#brave #alone