Good morning. It’s Sunday, January 17th, aka National Religious Freedom Day.

🥳 Congratulations on starting today with God, and thank you for letting us be a part of it.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

“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 is powerful on its own, but its meaning becomes even clearer when we read the verses around it. This promise sits in the middle of a letter God sent to His people while they were living in exile in Babylon. They wanted quick relief. God gave them something deeper. Perspective.

Just one verse earlier, God says:

Jeremiah 29:10 (NIV)

“When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.”

This verse is often overlooked, but it matters. God was honest with His people. Their situation would not change overnight. They were going to remain in exile for a long time. Yet even with a long wait ahead, God still called His promise “good.” His plans included time, patience, and trust.

That means Jeremiah 29:11 is not a shortcut verse. It is not about instant breakthroughs. It is about long term faithfulness. God was saying, even in a season that feels like delay, your future is not in danger.

The verse after Jeremiah 29:11 shows how God expected His people to respond.

Jeremiah 29:12 (NIV)

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”

God did not just promise a hopeful future. He invited relationship in the present. While His people waited, they were not meant to drift or despair. They were meant to pray, seek Him, and stay connected to Him.

This context changes how we read the promise. God’s plans were not passive. They were relational. The waiting season was not wasted time. It was a season meant to deepen trust and dependence on Him.

When we pull Jeremiah 29:11 out of context, we may expect God to fix everything quickly. But when we read the verses around it, we see something more steady and reassuring. God is faithful over time. He is present in the waiting. And He listens when His people pray.

God has plans for you, even if they take longer than you hoped. Even if the road looks unfamiliar. His plans are shaped by wisdom, patience, and love. And while you wait, He invites you to walk closely with Him, trusting that hope is still ahead.

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: God, You are faithful, sovereign, patient, and trustworthy in every season.

Confession: Forgive me for doubting Your plans when waiting feels confusing.

Thanksgiving: Thank You for hope, purpose, and presence even during long seasons.

Supplication: Help me trust Your timing and seek You daily while waiting.

In Jesus name, Amen

“Demons” by Josiah Queen

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See you tomorrow,

Zach | Start With God