A Future And A Hope

A Future and a Hope

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 29:11

HAVE YOU EVER FELT as if your marriage was hopeless? Contrary to your present feelings, your future can be bright. God’s plans for you are good, as the above passage reminds us. God gave these words to the prophet Jeremiah when the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon. They didn’t think their present circumstances could be much worse! Many of them had been sent away to a foreign country, where the culture was antagonistic toward Jews. Those who were left at home faced conditions that were often desolate. They must have wondered if God had abandoned them, but his words to Jeremiah reassured them that he still had good plans for them. The same is true for you.

Past failures need not destroy your hope for the future. If you start making the right choices today, the prospects of a growing marriage are good. Your communication and understanding of each other can be much more intimate than you have ever known. As you forgive the past, share feelings, find understanding, and learn to love each other, you and your spouse can find fulfillment in your marriage.

This is not wishful thinking. It has become reality for hundreds of couples who have committed themselves to walk the road of reconciliation. It begins when you decide to make the most of what you have, one day at a time.

Father, thank you for this hopeful word from the book of Jeremiah. You never abandon your people, and you always have good plans for us. I am grateful for that reassurance for my marriage. Please help me to forgive things in the past, to make good choices in the present, and to look ahead to a fulfilled future.

Living in the Present