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. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Jeremiah 29:11 is a well known scripture that may be interpreted as God has great plans for us and if we believe in him everything will work out. However, a deeper dive into this scripture, we may come up with a similar conclusion, but it may not be so simple.
This scripture is one sentence in a letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent to those exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon. To summarize verses 4-9, the letter informs those exiled to make the most of their situation, continue to push forward and prosper, and pray to the Lord and not false prophets. Then in verse 10, the letter says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.” (NIV) Most of the people hearing this letter would never even be around for the return from exile.
When looking at Jeremiah 29:11 in that context we learn that God indeed does have plans for us to prosper, but that does not mean we will not go through hard times. Or that our hard times will be brief. When we are going through hard times, we must turn to God and pray, we are to keep moving forward knowing that God continues to have a plan for us. The plan is for us to prosper and have hope and a future; and when we get through this valley and look back, we will see God at work. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait 70 years!
So if you are currently in a valley or when your valley comes, keep moving forward and turning to God, for he indeed has a plan for you to prosper and plans to give you hope for the future, it just may take patience!
Questions for Reflection:
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When you look back at a difficult time, where do you see God at work?
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Following that valley in your life, how did God’s plan compare to the plan you had in mind?
Prayer:
Prosperous God, when we are in the midst of a valley, help us focus on you and your promises for us to prosper and give us hope for the future. Even when your will does not seem possible, give us patience to wait and perseverance to keep moving forward until your timing is right for your promises to be fulfilled.
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