Anchored in His Promises
Scripture Focus
Reflection
All throughout Jeremiah’s prophecies, God has been calling His people to surrender. At first, the call to surrender didn’t sound hopeful—it meant yielding to Babylon, laying down resistance, and accepting the discipline of the Lord (Jeremiah 21:9; 27:11).
But then God began to show them what a surrendered life looks like. In Jeremiah 29, He told them to build houses, plant gardens, marry, multiply, and pray for the peace of the city. Even in exile, they were to live fully—not in despair, but in faith that God was still with them.
Now, in Jeremiah 31–32, we reach a turning point. In the midst of discipline and darkness, God pours out promises:
The message is clear: surrender is not the end. God’s discipline is never meant to destroy—it is meant to bring transformation, to draw His people into deeper intimacy with Him, and to set their hope on His promises.
But there’s another lesson tucked into Jeremiah 32. God told Jeremiah that his cousin Hanamel would come and ask him to buy a field in Anathoth. And sure enough, when his cousin arrived with that very request, Jeremiah knew it was confirmation that the word he had heard truly came from the Lord (Jeremiah 32:6–8).
This shows us something vital: God not only gives us promises, He also teaches us to discern His voice. He speaks through His Word, by His Spirit, and often confirms what He says so that we can walk with confidence. At the same time, He warns us to be cautious—because not every message that comes “in His name” is truly from Him. In Jeremiah’s day, false prophets were everywhere, and their words led people into deception.
That’s why John writes, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). God’s voice will always line up with His Word, and He often provides confirmation so we don’t walk in confusion.
So here is the takeaway for us: in the midst of trials, God calls us to surrender, then fills our hearts with promises of hope to anchor us in the darkness. And while we hold on in faith, He also trains us to recognize His voice—to know what is truly from Him, to wait for His confirmation, and to walk in His truth. Trials become the very place where our faith deepens, where we declare His promises are real, and where His Spirit shapes us into people who trust Him completely.
Lesson for Me
God’s discipline is not the end—it’s the beginning of transformation. In trials, I can hold on to His promises as my anchor. And while I wait, I must learn to test the voices I hear and cling to His Word, trusting that He will confirm His leading and never abandon me.
Application Questions
1. When you face trials, what specific promises from God’s Word do you hold on to as an anchor of hope?
2. Have you experienced a time when God confirmed His Word to you—through Scripture, circumstances, or another person? How did you know it was truly from Him?
3. What steps can you take to better “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) so you don’t fall into confusion or deception?
4. How might your trials today be shaping you into someone who shines more brightly for Christ tomorrow?
Prayer 🙏
Father, thank You that Your love is everlasting and Your promises are sure. In the midst of trials, help me to surrender fully to You, to live faithfully where You’ve placed me, and to hold tightly to the hope You’ve spoken over my life. Teach me to hear Your voice clearly and to test every word against Your truth. Strengthen my faith so that I would stand firm, shining as gold refined by fire, and bring glory to Your name. Amen.
Journaling Prompt 🖊️
Sit quietly before the Lord and ask Him: “What promise do You want me to hold on to today?” Write down the verse, word, or thought He gives you, and let it become an anchor of hope in the midst of your trials.
- “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines.” — Jeremiah 31:3–4 NLT
- “This is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” — Jeremiah 31:33 NLT
- “I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. I will find joy doing good for them.” — Jeremiah 32:40–41 NLT
- “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God.” — 1 John 4:1 NLT
Reflection
All throughout Jeremiah’s prophecies, God has been calling His people to surrender. At first, the call to surrender didn’t sound hopeful—it meant yielding to Babylon, laying down resistance, and accepting the discipline of the Lord (Jeremiah 21:9; 27:11).
But then God began to show them what a surrendered life looks like. In Jeremiah 29, He told them to build houses, plant gardens, marry, multiply, and pray for the peace of the city. Even in exile, they were to live fully—not in despair, but in faith that God was still with them.
Now, in Jeremiah 31–32, we reach a turning point. In the midst of discipline and darkness, God pours out promises:
- “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (31:3).
- “I will rebuild you, and you will again be happy and dance” (31:4).
- “I will put my instructions deep within them… I will be their God, and they will be my people” (31:33).
- “I will never stop doing good for them… I will find joy doing good for them” (32:40–41).
The message is clear: surrender is not the end. God’s discipline is never meant to destroy—it is meant to bring transformation, to draw His people into deeper intimacy with Him, and to set their hope on His promises.
But there’s another lesson tucked into Jeremiah 32. God told Jeremiah that his cousin Hanamel would come and ask him to buy a field in Anathoth. And sure enough, when his cousin arrived with that very request, Jeremiah knew it was confirmation that the word he had heard truly came from the Lord (Jeremiah 32:6–8).
This shows us something vital: God not only gives us promises, He also teaches us to discern His voice. He speaks through His Word, by His Spirit, and often confirms what He says so that we can walk with confidence. At the same time, He warns us to be cautious—because not every message that comes “in His name” is truly from Him. In Jeremiah’s day, false prophets were everywhere, and their words led people into deception.
That’s why John writes, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). God’s voice will always line up with His Word, and He often provides confirmation so we don’t walk in confusion.
So here is the takeaway for us: in the midst of trials, God calls us to surrender, then fills our hearts with promises of hope to anchor us in the darkness. And while we hold on in faith, He also trains us to recognize His voice—to know what is truly from Him, to wait for His confirmation, and to walk in His truth. Trials become the very place where our faith deepens, where we declare His promises are real, and where His Spirit shapes us into people who trust Him completely.
Lesson for Me
God’s discipline is not the end—it’s the beginning of transformation. In trials, I can hold on to His promises as my anchor. And while I wait, I must learn to test the voices I hear and cling to His Word, trusting that He will confirm His leading and never abandon me.
Application Questions
1. When you face trials, what specific promises from God’s Word do you hold on to as an anchor of hope?
2. Have you experienced a time when God confirmed His Word to you—through Scripture, circumstances, or another person? How did you know it was truly from Him?
3. What steps can you take to better “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) so you don’t fall into confusion or deception?
4. How might your trials today be shaping you into someone who shines more brightly for Christ tomorrow?
Prayer 🙏
Father, thank You that Your love is everlasting and Your promises are sure. In the midst of trials, help me to surrender fully to You, to live faithfully where You’ve placed me, and to hold tightly to the hope You’ve spoken over my life. Teach me to hear Your voice clearly and to test every word against Your truth. Strengthen my faith so that I would stand firm, shining as gold refined by fire, and bring glory to Your name. Amen.
Journaling Prompt 🖊️
Sit quietly before the Lord and ask Him: “What promise do You want me to hold on to today?” Write down the verse, word, or thought He gives you, and let it become an anchor of hope in the midst of your trials.