The Neverending Chase

Jeremiah 30:7 “It will be a definite time of trouble—yet in the end, they will be saved.”

     I’ve been reading through the book of Jeremiah and it is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read. Throughout the entire book God constantly promises two things: Destruction  BUT also, Restoration. There is always going to be chaos, but He always PROMISES His goodness to shine through in the end. Israel is going through famine and slavery and persecution of every kind because of their wickedness and refusal to obey God. So because of their own sin, they are punished.

EVEN THOUGH GOD CONSTANTLY TELLS HIS PEOPLE INUMERABLE TIMES TO TURN FROM THEIR OWN SELFISH DESIRES, AND RUN BACK INTO HIS ARMS, THEY DON’T LISTEN.

How many times do we do that? The moment I feel like I’ve really conquered something that’s a struggle for me in my life, about two seconds later I realize I’m right back where I was struggling with something else. I sometimes feel like no matter how hard I pursue God’s will above my own, selfishness seems to feed its way to my actions through my heart. But no matter how lost, broken, sin-covered, worthless I may feel , God’s fighting pursuit of my heart always amazes me.

Not only did he DIE to win over our hearts, but He fights for them day in and day out by his unyielding pursuing. Just like the Israelites KNEW God’s plan was better yet still did what THEY wanted, I believe we struggle in the same way because we are impatient and we don’t trust that HIS plan’s perfection is ultimately true. But no matter how many times we turn our backs on our Creator, He never turns His. In fact, He is running towards us the whole time; we just keep running away. Maybe sometimes we turn around in our jog and get a tiny glimpse of the truth He promises, but we don’t want to stop running, because we have for so long that there doesn’t even seem to be a point in turning around now. But that’s just it, God will never stop chasing you. So you’re running a never-ending and useless race that gets you nowhere but even more lost and disappointed and broken then when you started on what you thought was what you wanted.

It’s never too late to turn around and run the other direction; only this time with God holding your hand rather than reaching for it.

God never stops chasing our hearts. I think of times when I’ve been most desperate, and he ALWAYS gives a reminder that assures me He is STILL there fighting for me.

He gives us things like sunsets, sunshine, butterflies, an encouraging truth, sparkly snow, laughter, beautiful music, the smell of coffee, a crackling fireplace, and cute little baby penguins (those are some of my personal faves) to softly whisper that He is still there and He’s never going to give up on us like all those around us that might. He never stops chasing you so stop running away because eventually, you’re gonna run out of breath.

1 Peter 4:19 "So if you're suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will  NEVER fail you."