Jeremiah 29:7 Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’
It is a sad thing that so often people become the product of their surroundings. People who live around drugs often become drug users. People who live in places where foul language is common become speakers of filth. People who live amongst liars often become liars themselves. People who are raised with sports fanatics often become worshippers of sports. This is common and to be expected among non-Christians but it should not be that way with Christians. We who have the Holy Spirit, if we feed Him should see society follow us instead of the other way around. The issue is oftentimes Christians do not feed the Holy Spirit. Instead, they feed their flesh with their surroundings. God warns the Israelites of this as they are in exile. He scattered them because of their wrong living. Now He tells them to seek the welfare of the city they have been exiled to. Share with them the wrath that comes from not following God and the blessings that come when you are obedient. "Pray to the Lord," the text says so that they will experience the welfare that is provided by God. Don't follow the crowd follow the Lord and watch them gradually follow you. However, this takes time and effort plus a feeding of the Holy Spirit. You do this by worshipping and spending time with the Lord and His word daily. We see a person in Daniel, who did this during the time that Jeremiah is writing about and we see his success. Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.
Daniel knew he could be punished and he was. He was thrown into the lion's den but God protected him because he was faithful and obedient. This is an example of the type of Christians, God commands us to be.
Seek to convert those around you instead of in weakness allowing them to convert you.
No matter the world surrounding you, you can choose to be surrounded by God. Will you choose God or the world This text says if you help the city have the welfare of God you will have His welfare also.
Love Bro. Scott