Jeremiah 29:4-7
““Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, to all the captives whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon: ‘Build houses, and live in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. Take wives, and have sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there, and don’t be diminished. Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its shalom you will have shalom.’””
This message is from the prophet Jeremiah to the first wave of Judahite exiles deported to Babylon in the early 6th century BCE. They had been forcibly removed from their homeland and temple, and Jeremiah's letter counters false prophets who promised a quick return, instead urging them to settle in for the long haul.
What does it mean to seek the well-being of a place where you feel displaced or unchosen?