Jeremiah 45

And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the Lord. “But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.”’” v.5

Read chapter 45
A very short chapter, only five verses long, yet sometimes it's nice when God's word is quick and to the point, especially those with a short attention span when it comes to reading the Bible.  Yet even in these five verses there is much to seek and learn.  
Now remember back in chapter 36 when Baruch wrote down all of the words God spoke through Jeremiah but king Jehoiakim cut it up and burned it?  Well here we have that same Baruch jumping back to that period on the timeline.  If you remember Jeremiah and Baruch had to hide from the king in case he became furious with God's words and took it out on them (which we see he did).  We see more what happened to Jeremiah and his suffering for God's words, but here we read of an encouragement to Baruch for what he was facing and enduring as being associated with Jeremiah being his scribe.  Matthew Henry describes Baruch as, "Young beginners in religion are apt to be discouraged with little difficulties, which they commonly meet with at first in the service of God. These complaints and fears came from his corruptions. Baruch had raised his expectations too high in this world, and that made the distress and trouble he was in harder to be borne. The frowns of the world would not disquiet us, if we did not foolishly flatter ourselves with the hopes of its smiles, and court and covet them. What a folly is it then to seek great things for ourselves here, where every thing is little, and nothing certain! The Lord knows the real cause of our fretfulness and despondency better than we do, and we should beg of him to examine our hearts, and to repress every wrong desire in us."
How has seeking great things for yourself caused you much distress?   Baruch would learn the prize would be his life, that it is worth more than anything in this world that he sought and how precious a gift life is and how quick it can be taken away.  Is your life a prize to you wherever you go?