Comfort that is not comforting.

Reading: Jeremiah 28-29, Psalm 17, and Romans 6

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11, 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.

Thoughts: I feel that this passage has a tendency to be overused and misused. I see so many using this verse to try and comfort someone in times of loss or pain, trying to comfort them with the thought that God has a plan. There can be comfort in the knowledge that God has a plan, but I can promise that is not something someone wants to hear in the midst of their pain or loss. When you look at the context of this verse and what is going on, there was a "prophet" who was disagreeing with Jeremiah. Jeremiah was telling Israel to build homes and settle in you will be in Babylon for 70 years and this other prophet was saying they would go home in 2 years. This passage was a comfort in the knowledge that there is an end but not that their situation was going to change soon. When we sold our house and moved into a travel trailer our plan was six to eight months and we would be in our house on the property we bought. Nearly twenty months later our house is to be delivered in the next few days, but we will still not be able to live in it for a while longer because of work that needs to be done to finish things to get the approval from the county that everything is done and done properly so we can move into the house. Israel and the lying prophet had plans to briefly stay in Babylon, yet God knew the land needed rest and his plans included them to be there for much longer than they wanted. Yes, God has plans for us, welfare, and hope but His plans very rarely look like ours.

Prayer: Lord God, I know you have plans for me, plans for welfare and not evil, to give us a future and a hope. I thank you for having the plan. I thank you for being a part of your plan. I thank you for my family and the provisions you give us. I ask that you help me walk in your plans.