For I know... I will be found by you.

"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

The classic, all-purpose encouragement verse. How many times have I heard this? Not enough, apparently.

I have this habit, sometimes, of getting into deep thought while in the shower. Lately, including this morning, I've been thinking about my future. It's been driving me nuts. I try to remain rational but I shift from idealizing it to being critical. My imagination goes wild. Just think about what it would be like to have the perfect job, the perfect wife, the perfect house, etc. My future's gonna be great! No it isn't. you're never going to achieve any of that! You're just going to have an average job, an average wife, and an average apartment... And so it goes.

I never seem to reach a resolution in an argument with myself so today I prayed about it and Jeremiah 29:11 popped in my head. I kept repeating it until I figured out why it was important. This is what God is telling me:

"For I know the plans I have for you, Joel, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans, not for your hope and future, but to give you a hope and a future. I am giving you hope. I am giving you your future. It starts today! Trust me for today. Forget about tomorrow. The sun has not set on today yet."

I had a hard time getting out of the shower this morning. I had to write this though before it got lost in the mess of my brain.

"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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you..." -Jeremiah 29:11-14