Seek and You will Find!

Written by Mike Verkaik

A few weeks ago Dawn and I had a reunion with our latest high school South African team. While talking about our lasting impacts, the common highlights remained the children, and our times of worship.

Reflecting on our latest journey, this familiar text came to my mind, Jeremiah 29:11: 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This is a favorite verse of many Christians, a powerful promise and assurance that places our trust into our Father’s hands. However, I believe the core of that promise stems from Jeremiah 29:12-13:

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

In these verses God is calling His children to action, prayer, and a deep hunger to know and understand Him more. As we come into His presence with our hearts open, God promises He is listening and will respond to our deep desires. This was the posture of many of the students on this trip. Some desires were shared freely, while others were hidden deep within their souls.

The Holy Spirit ignited a fire in Trent while worshiping at a local church. He responded to an alter call to accept Jesus as His personal Savior.  After praying over him, he recalled how he did not want to come forward. However, as he stood in front of his seat the Spirit’s voice grew stronger and stronger inside telling him to come forward. As he resisted his whole body started to shake. He had to respond.

The next day, during a praise and prayer service at Overflow church, Pastor Ryan was led to move our team in a circle surrounded by around 60 prayer warriors of the church. While we sat together, he asked the others to pause in silence and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a word, a picture or vision for the students. Nervously sitting together the Holy Spirit began to use these open and beautiful spirits to reveal the students hearts, frustrations and new callings. Like the woman at the well, in John 4, Jesus was showing each of them that they were seen and loved by their Father.

Sofia was sitting to my left. A member of the congregation approached the group and said, “ I sense there is someone who came on this trip secretly longing for affirmation, acceptance from their Abba Father.” I began to hear sniffles. She continued, “You have a longing for a sign that you are loved and seen by Him.” Tears began to flow. “But you have not had that encounter and are disappointed and wondering why.” Now sobbing had begun as the deep longings of her heart were exposed. As she questioned how a stranger uncovered her deepest longings, she began to receive healing as she realized her secret pain had been seen and uncovered by the Holy Spirit.

Reminds me of the truth spoken in Proverbs 8:17:

I love those who love me, those who seek me find me. 

Amazing isn’t it how our Father, through seeking prayers, fills brothers and sisters with His Holy Spirit to meet us in our need and quest to know Him more. This is the power praying believers have, as they come together seeking God more, and interceding on behalf of each others spoken and unspoken heart desires.

Is your heart available to come, seek and pray?  God is longing for a deeper relationship with you to reveal the plans for hope and prosperity He has in-store.