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.
God was telling the Israelites to persevere and learn to thrive while in exile and he is telling us to do the same. Just like God's plan for the Israelites was for them to stay right where they were, and to help prosper the nation that enslaved them. Say What, yep He wants you to stand firm DELCARE you will thrive through whatever suffering you are going through. Yes, God knows the plans He has for us. And ultimately He will give us a glorious future.
I pray for that as we walk out our lives in this crazy world, let’s remember that the best growth comes through persevering through trials, not escaping them entirely. And understand when we learn perseverance, we find surprising joy. I pray whatever hard thing each of us are currently going through, that we cling to Jeremiah 29:11, but cling to it for the right reason: not in the false hope that God will take away your suffering, but in the true, gospel confidence that HE will give you hope in the midst of it. Tell yourself you will THRIVE NO MATTER YOUR SUFFERING... and that you'll get through it and FIND the JOY! Just think about all we endured up til now and thanks to God's HOPE we persevered and made to 2022