Everyone has their tale of woes. Some may suffer from an addiction and some may have a tale of tragic heartbreak.

 

But mine is a feeling of loneliness. I am a chronic overthinker. Someone didn’t wave goodbye to me when they were rushing to class, so I sat there thinking what did I do wrong? Do they hate me? Of course, that’s not the case but these thoughts are something I have to overcome.

 

A while ago I cried into my mother’s arms wondering why one of my friends didn’t spend as much time with me as she used to. Why are we not as close? Was it me? It wasn’t until my mother reminded me that it may not be God’s plan for me to be friends with her, that I calmed down. Maybe she isn’t what I need. I may think she is what I need, but God has His plan that can only be revealed with time, and I just have to trust He knows what’s best for each one of us. God says…

 

“For I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, and will bring you back from captivity” (Jer. 29:11-14).

 

Verse 11 of Jeremiah is a well-known verse, commonly read in sermons and devotions about the future and God’s plans for us. Verse 11 shows us that we don’t have to know everything or see exactly what our future will hold. Now I can’t promise that life will be all sunshine and rainbows, but ultimately as the verse says, God does not want to harm us, He wants to prosper us and He will be with us.

 

Verses 13 and 14 are just as important as the rest, because they provide us with the knowledge and reassurance that we are not left alone. We can seek God and find Him in those hard moments. It’s as simple as sitting quietly in His presence and enjoying His company.

 

God can also bring us out of our captivity, as He desires to set us free. The definition of captivity is different for everyone whether it be temptation, addiction, or our own thoughts. God pulls us out of that captivity if we are willing to come to Him in honesty.   

 

It’s up to us to take the first step, but the rest will fall into place for God knows the plans He has for us… plans to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future.

 

You can be assured of this promise.

 

Sophie Bonar

November, 2023