You asked

what practical steps might 'seeking shalom' look like for a displaced community now?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Jeremiah 29:7

“Seek the shalom of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its shalom will be your shalom.”

The prophet Jeremiah writes this letter from Jerusalem to the Jewish community who have been forcefully exiled to Babylon in the 6th century BCE. He is addressing their despair and desire for immediate return, urging them instead to settle in and work for the good of their new, foreign home.

How might working for the well-being of the place you now find yourself, even if it's not where you wish to be, contribute to your own sense of peace?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Psalm 137:1-6
This psalm expresses the deep sorrow and longing of the exiles by the rivers of Babylon, contrasting with Jeremiah's call to settle.
Isaiah 60:1-3
This passage speaks of God's future restoration and light for Jerusalem, offering a long-term hope that doesn't negate Jeremiah's immediate instruction.
Romans 13:1
Paul encourages submission to governing authorities, which can be seen as a New Testament echo of living peacefully within a ruling power.

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