God Is still building, even in the middle of a messed up world
The sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel were Meshullam, Hananiah, Shelomith their sister, ~ 1 Chronicles 3:19
Have you ever looked at something in your life and thought, “Well, this certainly isn’t how I pictured it turning out!” Maybe a relationship didn’t work out, a family situation became complicated, or a season you thought would be full of opportunity turned into one you never expected. We often have a picture in our minds of how things should go, but life doesn’t always follow the plan we imagined. Sometimes, right in the middle of the mess, God is doing something we can’t see yet.
When we read today’s scripture reading, we discover something more than a record of David’s family. This chapter follows the royal family line through some very difficult seasons. It includes the reign of David’s descendants, the fall of Jerusalem, and the people who lived through the Babylonian exile. But tucked into this chapter is a little detail worth slowing down to notice. Zerubbabel appears in the family line after the exile. He would later become a leader involved in the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. The temple had been destroyed, the people had been displaced, and what once seemed secure had fallen apart. But God was had someone strategically placed to help rebuild what had been lost at just the right time.
I love that! God didn’t abandon His people when everything fell apart. He was already working toward restoration. The chapter doesn’t give us all the details of Zerubbabel’s later work, but his name connects us to a powerful truth found throughout Scripture. God is not finished just because something has been broken and falling apart. He knows how to bring new beginnings out of difficult endings.
This is so encouraging for us today because it shows us something about trusting God when life doesn’t look the way we expected. Here are three truths that can help us live with faith and confidence in the middle of our own circumstances either good or not so good.
1. God brings new beginnings after great loss
The family line in this chapter continues through a time when Jerusalem had been conquered and the temple destroyed. Imagine what that must have felt like for God’s people. The place where they worshiped, the place that represented so much of their history, security and relationship with God, was gone. Their familiar surroundings had changed, and they were living in a land that wasn’t their own. From their perspective, it may have looked like everything had come to an end. But God had not abandoned His plans.
Sometimes we experience losses that leave us wondering what comes next. It might be the end of a relationship, a job change, a ministry transition, a financial setback, or a dream that didn’t turn out the way we hoped. We can become so focused on what we’ve lost that we struggle to recognize what God may be preparing to do next. But an ending doesn’t mean God has run out of possibilities. He can bring purpose out of pain, wisdom out of experience, and new opportunities out of seasons we never would have chosen.
Think about a person who has gone through a difficult divorce or a major family change. They may feel as though the life they planned is no longer possible. Yet God can bring healing, restore joy, and give them opportunities to encourage others walking through similar circumstances. Or perhaps you’ve served in a particular ministry for years and that season has come to a close. Instead of believing your usefulness has ended, ask God what He may be opening up next. You don’t have to understand the entire plan to take the next step. Sometimes faith simply means trusting God enough to believe there is still more ahead.
2. Don’t let what was destroyed keep you from believing in what can be rebuilt
Zerubbabel’s place in this family line is significant because he would become one of the leaders involved in rebuilding the temple after the exile. Think about that for a moment. The very place that had been destroyed would become the focus of a rebuilding project. God wasn’t asking His people to pretend the destruction hadn’t happened. He was leading them forward into the work of restoration.
There is a difference between remembering what happened and allowing it to determine what happens next. We can’t always change what has been broken, but with God’s help, we can begin rebuilding. Sometimes that means rebuilding trust, restoring a relationship, developing a healthier pattern, or simply learning to believe again after disappointment. Rebuilding doesn’t happen overnight. If you’ve ever tackled a home project, you know that sometimes the mess gets worse before it gets better! But the work is still worth doing when there’s a purpose behind it.
Maybe there’s a relationship in your life that needs attention. Perhaps you’ve been distant from someone, or words were spoken that caused hurt. You may not be able to control the other person’s response, but you can take responsibility for your part, offer an apology, extend forgiveness, and ask God to show you what a healthy next step looks like. Maybe you’ve stopped pursuing something God placed on your heart because a previous attempt didn’t work out. Don’t assume one disappointment means the opportunity is gone forever. Pray, seek His wisdom, and take the next step He puts before you.
We also need to remember that rebuilding doesn’t always mean returning to exactly what things were before. God may lead us into something new, healthier, and more fruitful than what we originally imagined. The goal isn’t to recreate yesterday. It’s to follow Him faithfully today.
3. God’s work isn’t dependent on perfect circumstances
One of the things I love about the story connected to this chapter is that Zerubbabel’s assignment came after a season of tremendous disruption. He wasn’t stepping into a perfectly prepared situation with everything in place. The temple needed rebuilding, the people needed encouragement, and there was a great deal of work ahead. Yet God used him in that very season.
We sometimes think we’ll be ready to serve God when life settles down. When the schedule isn’t so busy, when the family situation improves, when we have more money, more confidence, or a little more energy. Of course, some seasons require us to slow down and take care of important responsibilities. But we don’t need perfect circumstances to be faithful. God does His best work when we let Him into our lives right where we are.
Consider the opportunities you have today. You can encourage someone while you’re waiting in line, pray with a friend during a difficult conversation, show kindness to a coworker who is having a rough day, or take time to invest in someone who needs to know they’re not alone. You don’t need a microphone, a ministry title, or a perfectly organized calendar to make a difference.
Maybe you’re walking through a season that feels uncertain. You may not have all the answers, but you can still be faithful with what God has placed in your hands. You can pray, serve, love, encourage, and trust Him with the outcome. Don’t underestimate what God can accomplish through one willing heart. The same God who was at work through Zerubbabel in a season of rebuilding is still able to work through His people today.
Today I want to encourage you not to mistake a difficult season for the end of what God wants to do in your life. This passage reminds us that even after destruction, displacement, and tremendous change, God’s purposes continued. He was preparing for restoration when His people could only see what had been lost.
Maybe you’re in a rebuilding season right now. Maybe something in your life looks different than you expected, or you’re still trying to figure out what comes next. Don’t give up, and don’t assume God is finished. He brings new beginnings after loss, help you rebuild what needs attention, and works through you even when circumstances aren’t perfect. Your responsibility isn’t to have the entire blueprint figured out. It’s to trust the Builder. Keep taking the next step, keep your heart open to His direction, and remember that God is still working, even when all you can see is the construction zone!
Today’s scripture reading: 1 Chronicles 3
1 Now these were the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: The firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelitess;
2 the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;
3 the fifth, Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah.
4 These six were born to him in Hebron. There he reigned seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.
5 And these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon—four by Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel.
6 Also there were Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet,
7 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,
8 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet—nine in all.
9 These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.
The Family of Solomon
10 Solomon’s son was Rehoboam; Abijah was his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,
11 Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,
12 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son,
13 Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,
14 Amon his son, and Josiah his son.
15 The sons of Josiah were Johanan the firstborn, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, and the fourth Shallum.
16 The sons of Jehoiakim were Jeconiah his son and Zedekiah his son.
The Family of Jeconiah
17 And the sons of Jeconiah were Assir, Shealtiel his son,
18 and Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.
19 The sons of Pedaiah were Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel were Meshullam, Hananiah, Shelomith their sister,
20 and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-Hesed—five in all.
21 The sons of Hananiah were Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, and the sons of Shechaniah.
22 The son of Shechaniah was Shemaiah. The sons of Shemaiah were Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat—six in all.
23 The sons of Neariah were Elioenai, Hezekiah, and Azrikam—three in all.
24 The sons of Elioenai were Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani—seven in all.
Journal:
- Is there an area of my life where I’ve been focusing more on what I’ve lost than on what God may be doing next?
- What might God be asking me to rebuild, whether it’s a relationship, a habit, my confidence, or my willingness to trust Him?
- Have I been waiting for perfect circumstances before stepping into something God has placed on my heart?
- What is one small step of faith I can take this week, even if I don’t know how everything will turn out?
- How can I encourage someone else who is walking through a season of loss, change, or rebuilding?
