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.
This is one of the most loved, often quoted and memorized by many Christians today, but also one that has been misunderstood and misapplied by some. For some reason, when some believers read this verse, they “claim” it to mean that God will meet the desires that they have in their hearts. And so, when God does not work according to their plans they end up frustrated, unwillingly accepting what God has prepared for them, or even turn away from God.
We need to read the promise carefully. The Lord did not declare that He knows the plans that we have for ourselves. It says that God knows the plans that HE HAS FOR US! And this should make our hearts jump for joy! Why?
First, God actually has plans for His children. Yes. He doesn’t work in our life by chance. He doesn’t move in our life according to the moment. He doesn’t just work in our lives according to our prayer. Our holy, righteous, sovereign and loving God actually has plans for us.
Psalm 139:15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
He is the author of our life. He has already made plans for us. They’re already written in a book. We just have to trust. This is why we don’t believe in luck, or in fate. We believe in a God who knows what His plans are for us. And they are plans, as He Himself said, “to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.
This is where faith comes in. Because this promise doesn’t mean that it will be all good. There will be some storms, some bumps on the road, sharp curves even. But because our lives are in His hands, we trust that they will all work out for good (Romans 8:28).
Jer 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.
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
It’s when we take that step of faith, knowing that He knows the plans He has for us, that we begin to express the fruit of that faith through prayer, seeking Him with all our hearts, and listening to Him.
Prayer is not just meant to get what we want, but it’s to get what God wants for us. Faith is not about moving God to do what we want. Faith seeks God with all our heart. Faith listens to what God has to say about our life.
His plans may not coincide with our own plans. They might even be the complete opposite! The point is, are we willing to put our faith in the plans that our Sovereign and Loving King has already made for us? Or we will still insist on what we want, what we believe is good, for ourselves?
Jeremiah 29:11. Amen.
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