People love to quote Jeremiah 29:11. “‘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’” (NIV). It is no wonder this verse is so well-loved, it is a beautiful piece of encouraging Scripture. I think, though, that it gains even more significance when read with a little bit of context.
The passage comes from a letter that the prophet Jeremiah wrote to the Israelites who were exiled in Babylon, telling them that God would get them back to Israel—but not until 70 years had lapsed. Seventy years!
Good things often require periods of waiting. Babies take the better part of a year to develop before they are ready to greet the world. Just the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel took Michelangelo four years to paint. Or weaving through a long security line to get on an airplane and go someplace exciting, working for years to reach retirement, spending a couple of days in the kitchen cooking up a yummy turkey dinner, and the list goes on.
A few months ago I told the story of how I ended up having to leave Canada. I put my studies on hold and went back to Seattle because I couldn’t get a study permit. Not only was this not at all the way I wanted things to go, I felt like I was moving away from some of the things that God wanted me to do.
Thankfully, I was wrong. The months I spent in Seattle did not represent a movement away from God’s plan; it was simply a waiting time. I did not like it initially, but little by little I began to realize that leaving Canada was good because it was still a part of God's plan.
Sometimes, no matter how badly we want something (even if what we want is good), the time is just not right. Once in awhile we see small glimpses of God’s plan, but we never see the whole thing like He does, so we just can’t grasp the timing involved. God sees all of this, and doing things His way is good because God is good.
I had to remember these simple truths before I could surrender my own plan for God’s. In a way, I suppose this was an expression of faith, but I was not able to do it until I better grasped where I was placing that faith, that certainty in things hoped for and belief in things unseen (Hebrews 11:1).
About a month ago, I was able to return to Canada, where I am now taking classes and continuing to do my best to move towards the fullness of all that God has in store for me. His plans are to prosper me and are not to harm. They are hopeful and long-term and well worth waiting for.
By Ashley Ronnell
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