God’s Plans still Require Prayer on Our Part

I am reading the book of Jeremiah and this sharing by the author is just the right time:

Jeremiah 29: 4-14

‘“For I know the plans I have for you,” declared the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”’ (Jeremiah 29:11)

Jeremiah had some good news and some bad news from God for the people. The bad news was extremely bad. They would spend 70 years in captivity in Babylon (29:10). The good news was that God would bring His people home in the end. He had plans for them – plans to prosper and not to harm them, plans to give them hope and a future. But that still meant that an entire generation would come and go before the hopeful promise in Jeremiah 29:11 would come true.

Sometimes God’s plan can take a long time to come to pass (You probably know that already.) And in those long waiting times, we can lose heart or get discouraged. That’s why it’s important to remember that a future filled with hope and blessing doesn’t just happen automatically. There are things we need to do.

The first thing you need to do is to seek God and pray about your future. ‘Then you will call upon 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.’ (29:12-13).

The second thing you need to do is to be diligent to obey God. Every step of obedience you take today will take you into the future God has planned for you. ‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice leading you every step of the way.

The Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee to you that He will help you do what you need to do and bring to pass everything He promised. ‘Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal (Lord said I have a big and bright seal, praise the Lord!!!), the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory’ (Ephesians 1:13-14)

Every time you seek God and obey Him, every time you pray and listen for His voice, you are investing in your future. God promises that you have a good future and a reason to have hope. Trust Him for both. It may not happen as quickly as you would like, but God promises and He will deliver.

Praise the Lord. Typing this long message out, I am reading the bible and Lord directed my fingers on the keyboard. It is so amazing to work together with Him. Even though I know that without me reading, He has already known the passage for sure. Hallelujah! Daddy, I love working with You. *smooches* :D