God has a Plan: Jeremiah 29:11 in Context | Short Sermon Series

As we left a tumultuous 2021 and enter into an unknown 2022, it is helpful to remember that God has a plan for our lives and this verse is just such a reminder.

Many Christians know and cling to the Jeremiah 29:11 verse by itself. But when we understand its historical and literary context, most will find that it takes on a deeper, more relevant and even more powerful meaning for their lives. Understanding the context of a passage of scripture will help us avoid the human tendency of reading into scripture our own desired meaning, and will instead help us draw out of scripture the original meaning intended by God and His prophet.

Christians facing difficult situations today can take comfort in Jeremiah 29:11 knowing that it is not a promise to immediately rescue us from hardship or suffering, but rather a promise that God has a plan for our lives and regardless of our current situation, He can work through it to prosper us and give us a hope and a future.

Furthermore, Christians can take comfort in knowing that God promises to be there for us in these situations. For in the verses immediately following Jeremiah 29:11, God proclaims through Jeremiah that when you “call on me and come and pray to me… I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 19:12-13).

Short Sermon adapted from “Theology Thursday: God has a Plan: Jeremiah 29:11 in Context” by gcu.edu/blog/theology-ministry @gcu