A Bright Future Filled With Hope

A Bright Future Filled with Hope

“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

I once saw a cartoon in which two children are peering inside a grand piano. The little girl instructs the small boy, “There are millions of songs in there, but you’ve gotta punch the right keys to get them out.”

God gives us inspiration, great ideas, gifts and talents, projects to do, words to write, and songs to play, but we have to apply the perspiration necessary to “punch the right keys” and not let rejection or failure hold us back. When dreams or plans fall through and you wake up to a reality very different from the one you had planned on, it’s important to remember today’s verse, for it is God speaking, telling you that although this is the way things are now, he has a purpose, a bright future filled with hope for you. Look at the words that come after today’s verse: “In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me” (Jeremiah 29:12-13). Seek God with your whole heart and embrace his plan, and then watch as he guides you in purposes greater than you could design for yourself.

Sometimes it helps to list some of the personal strengths, creative or inner abilities, acquired skills, innate intelligence for certain tasks, and spiritual gifts God has given you. Prayerfully pick one of the personal gifts or goals that you really want to pursue and develop. Share your dream with a trusted friend to bring the idea out of fantasy and into reality. Brainstorm together how you’re going to begin pursuing your passion. If you encounter rejection along the way, consult with God for course correction if needed, and keep going. The Lord will direct your steps.

—CHERI

Lord, when my plans go up in smoke or I don’t know what to do, I look to you and embrace your plan. Show me a glimpse of your blueprint for my life. Thank you for your encouraging words in Jeremiah that tell me you are planning a future filled with hope and purpose.

That we are alive today is proof positive that God has something for us to do today.

—VACHEL LINDSAY (1879–1931), AMERICAN POET