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. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
Both by itself and in its context, this verse is undeniably about hope. The Israelites had been taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar and removed from their promised land to a foreign land with a foreign culture. The familiar was exchanged for strange and freedom for captivity. I’m sure the future looked bleak and uncertain—a fearful thing to consider. But God tells them that His plans for them and thoughts toward them are not for evil or harm, but instead for hope and a future. We have a God who plans and thinks good things toward His people. Take heart, believer, and remember the good character of our God!
