His Plans for You are Awesome!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

As I was flipping through the Bible seeking, searching, and deciding which verses/passages to include in this blog, I came to Jeremiah 29:11. I almost didn’t include it because it is one of those verses that shows up everywhere—on coffee mugs and wall hangings, on quilts and bumper stickers, and on thousands of graduation cards.

Despite all the above, I couldn’t bring myself to strike it off the spreadsheet. It meant too much to me in terms of my initial understanding of what the Bible actually said about God’s character and His care for me (in contrast to my previous view of god—lowercase “g” intentional).

Jeremiah 29 is a letter written to Jews in exile in Babylon. You see, in 586 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, killed a bunch of folks, and took thousands of Jews captive. They wanted out. They couldn’t understand why this was happening to them. “Rabbi, why do bad things happen to ‘good’ people?”

To even begin to grasp God’s Word here, you’ve got to understand that this is the backdrop. Jeremiah tells them they will be there for seventy years, and they need to figure out how to persevere—how to set up shop, marry, have kids, settle down, and live as normal a life as possible.

“NO! I don’t want to be here in this mess. I don’t want to be shackled in Babylon. Get me out!” At the beginning of the letter, Jeremiah even tells them to seek the welfare of the city where they’ve landed and pray for its welfare (v. 7). And here’s why (in the Official “Ed” translation):

The Lord declared, “I’m the One that knows the thoughts that I’m thinking about you. I’m the One who knows the plan that I’m planning for you. I know better than you do. In fact, where were you when I hung the sun in just the perfect place in the sky?  I have very clear intentions for you, and they’re in My mind. Let me simplify it for you. My plans, thoughts, and intentions for your life are for peace (Hebrew-shalom), welfare completeness, soundness, contentment, and security. I would never intend distress, harm, misery, evil, or disaster for you.

In simple terms, I want you to have 1) a future (in the sense of a final result or even a reward) and 2) hope. I want you to have a hopeful expectation and an optimistic outlook.”  

I don’t know if you are in a storm today. I imagine if you are not, you either just came out of one or are about to enter into one. God’s desire is to give you shalom in the middle of it.

The Bible clearly paints a masterpiece of a God who says, “I am for you.  I love you.  And I want the best for you.” As the loving Father He is, His desire is to give all His sons and daughters in all places across all time peace, contentment, hope, and a future. Despite circumstances! Despite the cancer diagnosis. Despite the tornado. Despite the job loss. Despite _______________.

So, trust in God’s sovereignty. Drop your fears, doubts, and anxieties in your heavenly Father’s lap. Trust in His sovereign control over your life. You can be completely confident that His plans for you are always good.

If you are a Christian today, you can rest in the hope that, for His children, He will work all things together for good (Romans 8:28). Pray that the Lord would develop a spirit of hopefulness in your heart and mind, knowing that your current circumstances “are nothing” in light of the plans and intentions God has for your life.

Father God, thank You that I have hope and a future because of You. Help me trust You when I find myself in a pickle. When I find myself in the heat of the fire, help me to remember the words of Jeremiah 29, that Your plans for me are only for peace and welfare and never ever for calamity or evil. Let my walk reflect the confidence I have in Your unfailing love. I pray this in Your thoughtful, mindful name, Amen.