The Plans I Have for You

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

These are words from a letter written by Jeremiah to God’s people who had been exiled to Babylon. Jeremiah’s letter encouraged God’s people not to give up hope. He told them to build homes, plant gardens, marry and have children. The Lord said, “work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”  

God had plans for His people and those plans were for good and not for disaster. He desired to give them a future and a hope, but He said, “You need to bloom where you’re planted.” The children of Israel would be in Babylon for the next 70 years. Entire generations may come and go during that time. 

So often when we find ourselves in difficult situations, our first reaction is to hunker down and ride out the storm. We’ll just stick our heads in the sand and wait until it passes, but God tells his people to work for the peace and prosperity of the place he sent them, and to pray for it. For its welfare would determine their welfare.

What if the outcome of our situation was dependent on our attitude in the middle of it? We all love this verse because it reminds us that God has a good plan for our lives, but we can’t take it out context. We have to remember that it was spoken to a people in exile. God was saying, “Yes, I have good plans for you, but right now I need you to make the best of a bad situation and pray to the Lord right where you are.” For how you fare in this situation may determine your welfare.