Jeremiah’s job is to speak God’s word and not hold any of it back. His job isn’t the outcome. His job isn’t to get the king to decide to surrender. His job wasn’t the survival of Israel. He had to hear the word of the Lord and speak it and obey as the Lord directed.

Jeremiah struggled to find the joy in the work. It was there in the Father’s pleasure. In 2 Corinthians 5:9, Paul talks about the aim being pleasing God. Working for the Father’s pleasure instead of for results, frees you to find the joy in the journey and spares you the discouragement of setbacks or seeming failures. We can keep a smile as we see the Father smiling at us for the surrendered, humble attitude of obedience and service along the way.

Jeremiah may have struggled to find the hope in Israel’s future, but God is the eternal optimist. He knows the future, but still He holds onto hope.

God tells Jeremiah to speak the words and says to Jeremiah, “It may be they will listen and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds.”

God’s desire is showing mercy. God’s heart is never in the destruction.

God is described as sending prophets to His people “urgently.” He felt the urgency. He knew what was coming. Wrath is not what He’s after. He’s not hardening people so He can send His wrath and look all big and powerful. That’s not who God is. Yes, He is holy and just and will absolutely send His wrath, but that’s not His heart, not His will, not what He wants.

Why doesn’t God just take what He wants and show mercy to everyone? God is love and love is not selfish. It doesn’t seek its own way. God gives us a choice.

There is one way Jeremiah is an optimist. He’s not out to save his own life. He’s given his life up to the Lord. He says to those seeking to kill him, “Do with me as seems good and right.” He knows he is innocent before the Lord.