Seek the Welfare of Your New City: PCS Well

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:7 [ESV])

The words above are from the Lord to His people who are in exile in a foreign city. He tells them, through his prophet, to seek and pray for the welfare of this city of their exile.

In the same paragraph, the LORD of Armies tells His people, “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.”

Do you see God’s desire for His people? They are not to live as mere passers-through. Instead, they are to live in this city of their exile as they would “back home” in Jerusalem.

While there are a myriad of differences between the Israelites in Babylon a few thousand years ago and you today, God’s instructions to you in your new military community are similar.

Invest in the city where you live, seeking its welfare. And, as you do so, the Lord will use those efforts to grow you and bless you.

And beware of false prophets. The LORD of hosts tells the exiles (We’re still in the same paragraph of God’s Word!), “Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.”

Who are your false prophets today? They are legion. But I imagine the loudest voice telling you that the last place was better or that the next place will be heaven-on-earth is the one inside your own head. Don’t listen to those voices. Listen to God.

In my experience of moving six times in ten years, the excitement for the new place wore off right about the moment that I drove my car into the town of my new duty station. All the challenges in the new place overwhelmed me, and all the unpleasantness of the location seemed to bombard me from every angle.

We found our joy on this journey of military life by obeying the principles in Jeremiah 29. We allowed God to shape us and turn our disdain into diligence.

We unpacked the boxes, learned the new billet, found the new doctors, enrolled in the new schools… We found interesting things to do in our new city that were not in our old one. We found new joys and met new people. We learned that God has us in this new place for His good purposes in us and through us to others.

The first Sunday in our new town, we went to church. Six moves in ten years. We committed to the local church that would be our new church home in the first month that we lived there- often joining the first church that we visited.

In these (imperfect) churches, we found community, discipleship, and the opportunity to exercise and hone our spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ.

We also found babysitters, recommendations to great restaurants, invitations to local events, recommendations for doctors and car mechanics, and a parade of friends that blessed us in countless ways.

I know it’s hard, but what if? What if there was a trail behind you as the military moves you- a trail of cities, neighborhoods, military units, and churches that were better because you lived there?

I’m convinced that this is the life God is calling you to live until He directs your exit from the vagabond lifestyle.

I love you guys,

Brian O’Day

p.s. My friends and I discuss these topics and more on our podcast, Military Wellness Collective– check it out! We talk about the topic of this articule in episodes like, Loving Where You Live and one that will publish soon, Invest in Where You Live.

Did you Like this Article? Subscribe!