Daily Devotion on an often abused Scripture

“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.”
- Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11 is not a slogan for instant success, as the world and even the modern church sees it. it was a profound, personal promise spoken to exiles in Babylon. These were people uprooted from everything familiar, grieving the loss of home and hope, and forced to live in a land that felt both foreign and hostile. They were far from comfort, stripped of control, and staring down a future they never imagined. Into that raw uncertainty, God spoke words of assurance: “I have not forgotten you. Even here, in the middle of your exile, I am working a plan that is bigger than your pain."

That perspective changes everything. It reminds us that God’s faithfulness isn’t measured by our present comfort, but by His unwavering presence and purpose, even in the hardest chapters of our story.

Like those exiles, we all walk through seasons when life unravels—when the plans we carefully crafted collapse in the face of disappointment, loss, or change. Health can falter in a moment. Doors we prayed for may remain closed. Dreams we nurtured may feel dashed.

Yet, in those very moments, God is quietly weaving threads of redemption through our pain. His purposes do not collapse when ours do. Though His timeline may stretch beyond our understanding, and His ways may refine and reshape us in ways we cannot anticipate, His heart toward us is unchanging—always working for our ultimate good.

This promise was never about ease or instant solutions. It was, and still is, about hope rooted in the character of God. It was never about avoiding hardship, but about finding courage to trust the One who remains sovereign in the very midst of it all—a God who holds every moment, even the hardest ones, in His loving hands.

Perhaps you find yourself in a chapter right now that feels uncertain, overwhelming, or even painful. Remember: the Author of your story has not put down His pen. What feels like delay may actually be His preparation. What seems like exile may be His way of positioning you for a greater purpose. The struggle you face is not the final word—God’s faithfulness is.

So walk in faith, rest in the gentle sufficiency of His grace, and trust the One who walks every step beside you—even through the valleys.
In His love and grace,

ray mileur

“Helping believers walk closer to Jesus, one day at a time.”
www.raymileurministries.com