So the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the welfare of this people.”
Jeremiah 14:11 NASB
Don’t pray for these people. What???
If you read the blog a few weeks ago you know that this is not the only time in Jeremiah where God commands him not the pray for the people. It seems crazy, doesn’t it? However, this is not contrary to the character of God. Has God ever told you to step back and be silent? God knew his prayers would do nothing in the situation as their hearts were bent toward their own self-serving behavior. God was plainly telling Jeremiah to step back and let it happen. This is so tough!
It would be heartache that would bring the people of Judah to repentance. It would be through trials and hard times that they would remember the God of their nation. Many of us have experienced this personally as we go through seasons where the passion and zeal for the Lord is on fire, but also experience times of waiting, wondering and struggling. Sometimes the best lessons from God are experienced in silence.
Burdens can be draining and when the Spirit is bolstering us to continue in intercession toward others, He will empower us through it. However, when they are not receptive, that energy can be directed other places where He’s called us. I think we can become so caught up in pursuing burdens where He’s said to be silent that we miss other opportunities where He’s working and asking us to join Him there. Let me be clear – I don’t think that anyone is beyond our prayers. However, it really depends on how the Lord is speaking to you through His Word (here in Jeremiah) as well as personally through His Holy Spirit. The fact that we read this at least twice in Jeremiah shows that the Lord can and will draw us away at times.
Are there areas in your life where He’s asking you to be silent and begin placing your focus elsewhere?