More Than Survival: Finding Purpose in Every Season

Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I'm just trying to survive this season"? I know I have. When life places us somewhere challenging or unexpected, our natural instinct is often to hunker down, grit our teeth, and just endure until things change. But what if God has a different perspective on those difficult seasons?

When Survival Mode Becomes Our Default

Early in my ministry career, Stephanie and I left a church we loved to join the staff of what was then a megachurch. A few months in, I remember turning to her and saying, "I don't know if I want to raise a family in this church." Something shifted in me that day. I quietly decided this was just a season to endure—a time to learn what I could before moving on.

Working 70-80 hours a week between us, I sometimes slept at the church just to keep up with demands. I was merely surviving, not thriving. And here's a scary truth: scars come with survival. Looking back, I can see how that survival mentality shaped how I showed up. In fact, I didn't even survive that season—I was fired. As painful as that was, I think the church sensed where my heart was—that I was just passing through.

There's a profound difference between enduring a place and living on purpose in it.

God's Surprising Instructions for the Exiles

In Jeremiah 29:4-7, we find God's people in Babylon—displaced, discouraged, and far from home. If anyone had reason to adopt a survival mentality, it was them. Yet God's instructions were shocking:

"This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles who were taken from Jerusalem to Babylon: 'Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the produce they grow. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.'" (Jeremiah 29:4-7)

Notice God doesn't tell them to withdraw, regroup, or just hang on until rescue comes. He doesn't say, "Don't get too comfortable—this isn't your home." Instead, He speaks as though they'll be there for a while.

The verbs God uses are striking: build, plant, raise families, multiply. These aren't survival words—they're thriving words:

• Build houses and live in them = Presence
• Plant gardens and eat their produce = Patience
• Raise families and multiply = Permanence

God goes further: "Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you." The Hebrew word for "welfare" is shalom—peace, flourishing. God tells His people to care about the flourishing of a place that doesn't share their values, doesn't worship their God, and doesn't feel like home.

Jesus Modeled This Kind of Presence

In Luke 19, Jesus was "passing through" Jericho when He encountered Zacchaeus. Jesus could have continued on His journey, but instead, He looked up (not down) and called Zacchaeus by name: "Zacchaeus, come down! I must stay at your house today."

That word "must" reveals so much. This wasn't about convenience—it was mission-critical. Jesus was no longer passing through; He was choosing to inhabit that space intentionally. He didn't require Zacchaeus to clean up his life first. He simply initiated presence before any repentance took place.

The crowd grumbled about Jesus associating with a "sinner," but Jesus wasn't seeking their approval. He was seeking the welfare of that city, beginning with one person. Zacchaeus's response was remarkable:

"Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." (Luke 19:8)

That's not coerced generosity—it's transformation. Jesus explained: "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:9-10)

We Are Sent Ahead of Jesus

Jesus doesn't keep this mission to Himself. In Luke 10:1-2, He appoints 72 others and sends them ahead into every town and place where He was about to go. Their job wasn't to replace Him or fix everything—it was to prepare the way.

When I talk about presence, I don't mean passive faith. I mean the kind of presence where a community would feel it if a church packed up and left. The kind of presence where light pushes back darkness. The kind where a city might say, "Something is different because they're here."

We are sent ahead of Jesus into places we already live, work, shop, and eat—preparing hearts and spaces for Him. Not with pressure and arguments, but with presence.

Living On Purpose Where You Are

God doesn't waste seasons. Romans 8:28 reminds us that "for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." God doesn't say all things are good—Babylon wasn't good, and what Zacchaeus was doing wasn't good—but God works all things together for His good purposes.

That's why Jeremiah 29:11 follows the instructions to invest in Babylon: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

You don't have to change the whole country or even a whole city. You just have to be faithful where God has placed you. This isn't about doing everything, but it is about doing something—showing up, serving, investing, and loving like Jesus wherever you are and whatever season you're in.

From Survival to Purpose

Like Laorray's family who first connected with our church through community events, God often uses our faithful presence to transform lives. What began with a soccer camp led to an entire family finding faith in Christ and eventually moving closer to be part of our church community.

This is why we're community-minded. We don't love where we live because this place is perfect—we love where we live because Jesus loves the people here. We love where we live because He purposed for us to be here in this time, in this season, to be His presence in this place.

We are the bridge—not the savior, not the solution—just the bridge that people can walk across to get to Jesus.

How will you move from survival to purpose this week in the place God has you?

Watch the full sermon [here](link to video).

Meta Description: Discover how to move beyond just surviving difficult seasons to finding God's purpose and making an impact right where you are, based on Jeremiah 29:4-7.

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