(And what they really mean.)
1. Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and hope.”
For believers today, this promise is fulfilled through our current spiritual security in Christ (nothing can separate us from His love!) and the future promise of heaven. It does not promise that everything we face will have an “earthly happy ending,” but rather that our souls are safe in Christ, and we can live with the hope of eternity with him.
2. Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
Notice this verse does not promise that only good things will happen to us, nor that God will make sure every difficult situation has an ideal ending. He does promise, though, that if we will trust Him with even the most painful situations, He will bring spiritual good from them. He will not waste a single one of our tears.
3. Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
This is not a holy pep talk. It is not a blanket promise that we will get whatever we put our minds to. This is a promise from God to be with us even in the trenches. Whatever life throws our way—we will be ok. Because Christ is in it with us, and HE is the source of our strength, even when it feels we have none left.
So remember … No matter what life brings, we have the hope of forever, a God who brings good from evil, and a Savior with us through it all. And that is good news indeed.
Until next time,
Shelby
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