Welcome to Day 28. for one of our short powerful devotions from the 31 Bible Verses About Practicing The Presence Of God. This short devotional is based on Jeremiah 29:11-13.
Read Jeremiah 29:11-13.
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."
God's plan for your life
Do you ever wonder about God's plan for your life?
God has a plan for you. God has a plan for us. But how do I know the plans that God has for me?
The answer to that question is found in Jeremiah 29:11-13. The secret to learning about God's plan for your life is found in His presence. We need to practice Jeremiah 29:13. We have to seek God with all of our heart.
Join me for a short Bible study on Jeremiah 29:11.
What does Jeremiah 29:11-13 really mean?
Jeremiah 29:11 is a well-loved and encouraging verse. It is found on bumper stickers, signs, Christian clothing, and so many more products. I have placed it on a few of the products you will find at Scriptural Grace too. But to glean the most encouragement from this verse, you need to know the context of it.
What does Jeremiah 29:11 really mean?
Jeremiah was a prophet who served before and during the days Judah was taken into exile by the Babylonians. We talked a lot about this weeping prophet a few days ago.
The Israelites had not been following God's commands. They were involved with idolatry and other evil things. Jeremiah tried to warn them that if they didn't change their ways they would be punished by God. The result was that Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon conquered Judah and Jerusalem and the people were carried off into exile (Jeremiah 25:1-11)
But God is faithful, and compassionate and He keeps His promises. This punishment would last 70 years but God had plans to restore the people of Israel. He had a covenant with them, which they seemed to have forgotten. God was not done with them. He called them back to Him. He called them to be obedient and faithful. They had to learn to trust God and to trust that He had a good plan for their lives even during their time in captivity.
If you can find time, read the whole chapter of Jeremiah 29. You will find that God commanded the Israelites to build houses, to marry and give their children in marriage, to plant vineyards, and to “seek the welfare of the city” (Jeremiah 29:5-7).
Did you catch that last part?
God commanded the Israelites to seek the welfare of the city that they had been held captive in!
Jeremiah 29:13 meaning
Now, let's take at what Jeremiah 29:13 means.
This is a promise of restoration for the people of Israel in exile after the completion of the time allotted for their discipline. God had plans for their good and not their harm. He had plans to prosper them and to give them a future and hope. God gave them this wonderful promise that if they seek Him with their whole heart, they will find Him. They would be exiled for 70 years, and some of the Israelites would die during this time of exile. They would not all get back to Israel but God keeps His promises. Israel was restored and the people of Israel were blessed during their time of captivity.
Join me below for a short devotional and prayer.
God's Plan For Us
Jeremiah 29:11-13 was written specifically for the people of Israel that were in exile but the promises God made to them are also made to us. God longs for us to seek Him with all of our hearts and to diligently seek His presence. It is in that secret place with God that we too will find Him. And it is in that secret place that God's plans can unfold in our lives.
God has a plan for you!
Are you in a difficult situation?
You can take comfort from Jeremiah 29:11 knowing God is with you in the middle of your difficulty. You are not promised immediate change of your situation but you can know God's peace in it as you trust Him to work in it. God can restore all that was lost to you. I am amazed at the changes that God has brought about in my life. Some of the things that I prayed for, waited for and hoped for a change in, have not always happened as I expected them to. But hindsight is a great thing and I am so blessed that God did not answer my prayers in the way I thought He should!
God's plan for you
So how can you know God's plan for your life?
Here are some great tips:
Seek God's presence throughout your day. Seek the secret place of God for that is where true safety can be found as promised in Psalm 91:1.
Repent of your sins. Prayerfully ask God for a clean heart, so that you can hear Him speaking to you clearly.
Be in prayer ask God for His wisdom and direction in your life.
Seek God first in all that you do. When you seek God first, you gain His perspective and it may even give you such clarity when making choices and decisions that it changes your original plans.
Renew your mind. One of the benefits of practicing the presence of God is that our minds are renewed and transformed daily as we are thinking 'God's thoughts ' and reading His transforming words from the Bible. This occurs from prayerfully reading scripture and inviting the Holy Spirit to enable us to apply them to our hearts and lives. It will give you clarity on the decisions that you need to make.
Be obedient to God's commands. Allow God to guide you. Trust that God's plans for you are good. If you are constantly in God's presence, then you can trust that the dreams and plans that you have are from Him. If after much prayer you feel that you have to make a change in your life - go for it1 And trust God to open the doors in your life that need to be opened.
What is God saying to you today through Jeremiah 29:11-13. Use the following questions to go deeper with Him. You can download this pretty prayer journal or just use a notebook to answer the questions.
Today's devotional is based on Jeremiah 29:11-13 which is from our Practicing The Presence Of God: 31 Presence Of God Scriptures Plan. You will find a free printable PDF of 31 scriptures about God's presence in the Resource Library. It has a bible reading plan, guided prayer, and gratitude journal. Download this free printable or grab a notebook and answer the following questions.
What is God saying to you through this verse?
What burdens do you need to surrender to God and trust Him with?
Write out your prayer request.
What are you grateful for today? Count your blessings!
Write out the scripture verse, it helps you to memorize the scripture and store up God's truth in your heart.
Then in the last section of the prayer journal, there is space to record what God is speaking to you through our bible verse today, Jeremiah 29:11-13.
Praying God's Plan for your life
We are called to pray without ceasing. That means we can talk with God at any time and in any place. This is a great way to practice the presence of God. Praying scripture is a powerful way to pray so join me in praying Jeremiah 29:11-13.
Thank You Father for Your plans for my life. Thank you that You are with me in all my situations. Forgive for when I don't trust You to work in my life. Help me to hear Your voice directing me and help me to choose Your plan and path for my life. Fill me with a passion to seek You diligently and to have excitement as I read Your word and apply it to my life. Amen.
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xx Karen.