Yesterday, I asked Jesus in Adoration for an explanation for one of my little spiritual gifts.
I grabbed a Bible, looked Him straight in the Bread, and said, "Please help me find the right verse. I need to know what is supposed to happen, what I am supposed to do." These sorts of prayers rarely bear fruit, but yesterday...it sort of did. The answer is indirect, but I think that might be so that my Dear Readers might receive some sort of consolation.
My stories are not mine to keep, and my spiritual gifts are not meant to heal me: they are meant to serve others...serve you, Dear Reader.
"Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their fruits. Take wives and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters. Increase there; do not decrease. Seek welfare of the city to which I have exiled you; pray for it to the Lord, for upon its welfare your own depends.'
'For thus says the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel: Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners who are among you; do not listen to those among you who dream dreams, for they prophesy lies to you in My name; I did not send them-oracle of the Lord.'
'For thus says the Lord: Only after seventy years have elapsed for Babylon will I deal with you and fulfill for you My promise to bring you back to this place. for I know well the plans I have in mind for you- oracles of the Lord- plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope. '
'When you call Me, and come and pray to Me, I will listen to you. When you look for Me, you will find Me. Yes, when you seek Me with all your heart, I will let you find Me- oracle of the Lord- and I will change your lot; I will gather you together from all the nations and all the places to which I have banished you- oracle of the Lord- and bring you back to the place form which I have exiled you."
~Jeremiah 29:5-14
This passage is part of Jeremiah's letter to the Israelites during the Babylonian Exile.
I think we all feel a bit like those in exile.
We think that we can get out of our exile, but we do not know how. Instead of accepting the state of life we are in, we choose to complain. We choose to dream about getting out. Most of the time, however, we choose to do nothing with what is already in our midst. Without gratitude, our time away from our goals and dreams turns in to a time of despair and loss. Without hope, our time without answers turns in to a time without faith.
We should never stop trying to live our best life.
Because it's not about us.
Dear Reader, you have a future of hope. You have a place where you belong: here. Because Heaven is not this place high up in the clouds that is out of our reach. Heaven is perfect union with God, who became man and walked on this Earth. Heaven is union with Christ, and that is something we can all grasp, something we can all hold on to, something worth fighting for.
We need to stop trying to change what is happening around us. We need to engage as opposed to disengage. We need to commit as opposed to retreat.
Build houses. Build a life. Pray for those God has entrusted to you in this moment, here and now.
Because, Dear Reader, the life you've been searching for, the quest you've embarked on, the mission you are called to, it's right here, right now. Whether we like it or not, we need to get through these difficult times of exile in order to arrive where we truly belong. If the Son of God had to die a slave's death, then we must accept our own difficult times.
In the silence, seek The Lord with your whole life.
And, in time, He will speak to you again. In small unexpected moments, He will lead you to the Home you miss so much. He will give you the souls you need in order to grow in love. He might not be speaking because He is just listening to you right now. He loves you, no matter what.
Build your little houses. Build a life in those little houses.
Because, my Dear Reader, it's worth it.
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