Hope in God’s Unshakeable Plan

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “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.” Many people are familiar with this verse but a lot might not realize that context of which God spoke this. The Israelites were in captivity. Things were not going well. Even after God spoke this it was still many years before they left captivity. Are their areas in your life that are not going so well right now?

Be encouraged, God speaks this to them to say, don’t look at where you are right now. This is not my outcome for you. This maybe your current situation, but it’s not your final destination, I have a plan. God was speaking hope into their hearts. They have been discouraged based on being in captivity. God wanted to jump-start their hope again. God wanted them to know He is their hope in the middle of their situation of captivity. He also, wants you to know the same.

As I would look at the flight attendant my fears were calmed because I trusted their experience. Look to God when things are shaking and evaluate what His disposition is during this time. Is He nervous, uncertain, fearful? No, He’s in perfect peace and you can be also.

Trust me, I know it’s easier said than done, but it’s very much possible. One guy that was the master at this was David. Psalm 42:11 says “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?…..” In this scripture we see David acknowledge, the place where his soul was, which was downcast aka sad. What did David do at that moment? The verse continues and tells us “…Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” He told his soul, what to do; put your hope in God. In other words, he was saying hey soul, you’re feeling bad, things aren’t going your way, you can’t fix it. Put your hope in the one that can turn your situation around.

I want to encourage you whatever, you’re dealing with right now there is hope. A part of the meaning of hope is “…believing that something good may happen.” God has good planned for you! Don’t let your current situation, steal your expectation for something good to happen. Command your soul to look to Him for something good to happen, just like David did.

A hard or difficult situation doesn’t cancel out God’s good intent for you. We go through ups and downs in life, but God is constant through it all. The flight attendance knows not to worry when turbulence happens. It’s a normal thing. It doesn’t shake them. How much more the one that knows your future, is not worried about what’s going on in your life right now. He knows the plans that He has for you.