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Stay Put
Jeremiah 42:10
"If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you."
The verse above is part of Jeremiah's prophecy to the remnant who were left after they were invaded and taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. These people had seen some very hard times. They had gone through famines, wars, invasions, sickness, and a loss of many of their friends and family. However, God told the people to stay put and not to leave. God promised that if they would stay put that He would build and establish them in their land. The whole key was not to pick up and run, but stay put through their hard times to see these benefits.
One of the weakness of many people is impatience. We live in a generation that wants everything right now. With the fast food mentality that many Christians have, many miss out on the greatest blessings because they won't stay put. There is something about somebody who stays where they are planted and waits for God's blessings to come through. Because they stayed, God had the opportunity to fully bless them. I encourage you that no matter what your situation may be to stay put so God can build and establish you.
Let me say to the pastor who is contemplating leaving, stay put. I am a preacher's kid, and I have seen the hardships that many pastors of small churches go through. It can be discouraging watching your church growth go up and down. You watch other churches grow, then you wonder if it is you, or if you are doing something wrong. Pastor, as hard as it may be, please stay put. The grass may look greener on the other side of the fence, but you certainly know that there are problems in every church. If you will stay long enough where you are, you will see that God will stabilize your church and help you to grow.
Church member, let me encourage you also to stay put. Too often we want our church to have everything right now, and because it seems to be going too slow, many church members pack their bags to go across town to the other church. You will never have a stable Christian life if you jump from one church to the next. There must come a time when you decide to stay right where you are and help your church become what God wants it to be. It takes people with a long-term mentality to help churches become what they should be.
Employee, let me encourage you to stay put. Just because another job seems to be better doesn't always mean that its best for you. I am not saying that you shouldn't take a better job, I am just saying that you need to be careful about jumping from one job to the next. It is normally the employee who stays who gets the promotions. An owner is not going to promote someone whose resume shows that they jump every few years. Learn to stay put where you are and decide to build and plant yourself in your present employment.
Married couple, let me encourage you to stay put. Divorce is never an option. Though your marriage may be a little shaky at the present, if you will work through your problems, you will find that your marriage will become that happy marriage that you dreamed of. Strong marriages are not built over night, but they are built over years of each spouse working together to make their marriage what God wants it to be. Those who get divorced and run to the next best thing find that it would have been better if they would have stayed put and worked on what they had. Don't make the mistake of running from your problems, but stay put and see God's blessings on your marriage.
Everyone will have problems in every area of life. It is during those times when you will be tempted to run, but you would be wise to stay put until God has the opportunity to bless you where you are.