God’s Plan

“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) 
 
Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the more widely known verses in the Bible. It reminds us that God has a plan for our lives, and that His plan is good. However, it is important to note that the word “prosper” in this passage does not mean what many people think. It does not imply material possessions, but rather prosperity of the inner man. It means completeness, soundness, welfare and peace. It is tranquility and contentment that rises above whatever circumstances you may be facing. 
 
In order for God to glorify Himself through our lives, He often pushes us out of our comfort zones. He leads us to mountaintops, but He also guides us through dark valleys. His plan does not always make sense from our limited perspective. We must remember that anything the Lord allows into our lives is for our good and His glory. He can prosper us, giving us hope and a future no matter what is happening to us now or what will happen to us down the road.  
 
As we think about the future, we welcome the possibility, the hope, and the change that comes with a new year. However, we are not guaranteed that this next year will be better than the last. We don’t know for sure what the next twelve months will produce. However, we know who holds the future, and we know that no matter what happens, God still has a plan and a purpose for you and for me.  
 
I pray that as you go into the new year, you will remember that you don’t need something from God, you need God! His plans are invariably good, because God is always good!