“‘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 a HOPE and a FUTURE.'”
Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
Sharing this Godfirmation (I really like that word!) with y’all from Jeremiah 29:11 – a popular verse that many quote about God having a plan for us. Really, this whole chapter could really be a whole message about being in a hard place, but I’ll save that for later.
For now, let’s get into the background of this specific verse and how it applies to each of us. Because God does indeed have a bigger plan for us all. Though we face uncertain moments and tough situations in our lives, God is working them out for our good.
First, a tiny bit of BACKGROUND on this verse, in case you don’t know. In the Bible, Jeremiah gives a Word from the Lord to the Israelites in Jeremiah 29. Long story short, God had condemned the Israelites to 70 years of captivity in Babylon because of their idolatry and rebellion against God. God told the people to build houses, have families, plant gardens, etc. – basically, y’all settle in because you’re going to be there for a minute!
However, when those 70 years were completed, God would restore the Israelites to Jerusalem. Which is where Jeremiah 29:11 comes in. The Israelites could still have hope in God’s promise, even in the midst of captivity. Because God had plans for the Israelites, with the ultimate plan being to bring Jesus Christ through THEIR lineage for the salvation of the world, He made good on His promise to restore them.
God has plans for each of us. Sometimes, because we still have free will and make our share of mistakes, those plans get delayed or reworked. Sometimes we face hardships that we ourselves could never have planned for.
However, God is like the ultimate project manager (that’s my 9-5 job kicking in, y’all, sorry!). He already knows where and when we’re going to drop the ball and has made contingencies to get the projects (i.e., US) back on track. He always is working the circumstances of our lives out for the good, even when we don’t see it. And I’ve learned that it’s not even about us really, but ultimately for His glory. Our testimonies ultimately point back to how good He is, which can help lead others to Him!
If times are a little tough right now (by your own hand or not), take comfort and have hope in the fact that God has NOT forgotten you. He is still working on your behalf!
Imperfectly B 