Some times, I look at life around me. The bad things in life seem over whelming some times; health issues, issues we face in our lives where we might live or work, the things you see on the news, the list could go on of "negative" or things that even feel destructive... right now, I have been sitting here pleading with God for hope... some thing to make me realize that life isn't all hard knocks and there is purpose for our struggles...
I was reading in Jeremiah, oddly, this is one of my favorite books in the Bible. I love Jeremiah's story and how he was used by God to speak. The promise God gave him in the beginning of how He knew his life before he began... We often quote 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 a hope and a future."
As I read this, I said in my heart "Lord, I know this... I have read this verse... held onto it. Why this morning? Why do I see this? Read this? It isn't new to me..." He asked me to back up and read again... so I did....
Vs. 10 Says "this is what the Lord says: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place." then it 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..."
It hit me this morning... God really did NEVER promise not to let us go through the hard times. He never promised us that we would not face hard times. He did promise us however a hope and a future. What is your Babylon? What is it you are in right now? Some times, our struggles are short, but sometimes, like Babylon, they feel like they are a life time (70 years) and we wrestle. Is our response right? Do we get angry? Do we fight and wrestle and try to thwart what is going on around us?
What should our response be? We should trust, we should know that God's plans for us are set in His hand and in the end, when it is all said and done... we will have a hope and a future. he will prosper us and he didn't set this here to harm us...
whether it be sickness, financial hardships, break ups and challenges in life... God didn't intend it to harm you but to prosper you and to give you a hope and a future... it really is about our response in this that we find that to come to truth... trusting He has a plan and trusting that in the end... He IS there to take it and to carry you!
1 comment:
OHHH! After I can say after reading that is WOW! That got me all sorts of funky places! Guess it was YOUR turn for God to use YOU to get to ME again! Love it!
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