“Plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” - this is what the LORD reveals to Jeremiah immediately after he received a devastating word. The LORD told Jeremiah he and his people would be in Babylon for 70 years. For many of us, that’s a lifetime. For many of us, if we received that word we might not even hear what comes after it due to crushing disappointment. But in the midst of this captivity, the LORD did not leave Jeremiah hopeless. 

While the season of captivity may be longer than we pray for, the season of hope is coming after. The future that is good and not disastrous is promised after a time of grief, crushing, oppression, and sorrow. If we can look past the hard news, we can see the promise of goodness that the LORD has prepared ahead of us. 

While the enemy may think that this time of captivity, whatever that looks like in our lives, will crush us, it will actually prepare us for the promise of restoration. In the same land that the enemy used to try to destroy us, God promises to bring hope. It may seem like it’s never coming — for Jeremiah it was 70 years! But the end is in sight, and with it the promise to be home again. 

One day the captivity this evil world brings will end, and we will be forever home with our Savior. Until that trumpet sounds, and until our current season of suffering is over, we have the promise of hope to cling to, along with the grace of the Spirit to empower us to declare the promises of our good, good Father. The Father who went ahead to prepare our future that is secured by the precious blood of His son.

Querido Padre Celestial,

Thank You for the good plans You have for me and for those I love. Thank You for the hope of the future You have designed for us. I honor You for Your promises which are irrevocable. I decree that we are coming into the perfect plan which You have designed for us. May You have Your way within my family and me. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Has God ever placed a strong desire within your heart to go to a place, minister to a certain group of people, or fulfill an undeniable need? Have the cares of life caused you to push those promptings to the back of your mind? Think back on those times when you know you heard the voice of God, either audibly or within your spirit, and jot down the longings He placed within you. Seek Him and His wisdom and begin pursuing those with all your heart so that He may give you the future and hope that will bring fulfillment.