Day five

​What does God say about us? These are things to place our hope in!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Now many of us may hear this and immediately stop and object.

“But so many of my plans did not work out, things did not happen as I hoped”

Yes, our lives can and almost always do contain trouble, to deny that would be living in unreality. But God didn't say our lives would be trouble free, He said He has plans for your life, to bring you a hope and a future, and plans for your welfare. And in case you are feeling cynical, He also says those plans are not for evil! But let’s notice something here, God is saying these are His plans. He is offering His plans, plans He created before we were even born, plans to give us a hope and a future!

It is always good to stop and ask our heavenly Father if we are following our own plans, hoping He will come alongside us and support us in our own goals. Or are we following our Father’s plans for our lives? It is so easy to get off track of where God is taking us, and to lose sight of His plans for our lives. Our own plans, formed without God, leave us striving and without rest, often complaining to God why He won’t help us. While all the while He is saying,

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Psalm 32:8

Does this mean when we follow God there will be no disappointment or trouble? Not at all! What it does mean, is that His plans have the promise of a hope and future with Him that does not disappoint. A bigger picture and promise that He has given us when we follow Him.

We can hope in His plans for us!

Father I give You my life again today, I surrender my plans and ideas for Your perfect plans. I give up my good ideas for your better plans. Thank you for loving me so much that You created plans for me to prosper that I can have hope in. Teach me what Your plans are and what this means. I love you Father.