Hope and a Future
Years ago, God gave me a scripture as I walked through some troubling times, and I’m sure He’d love for you to hold on to it, too, through your own adventures of change. “‘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 29:10-12. In all the changes that come our way, knowing that God is in the middle of them helps us hang on with hope and promise.
Unfortunately, many people are often too uncomfortable, too impatient, and too restless during this transition time to allow the process to fully work out. They abort the ‘tween time and jump back into a “safe” place. In the past, I was one of them. But I have learned that aborting this process guarantees that you’ll repeat it again. So I’ve finally learned to let the process do its work, and I didn’t feel so panicked and alone. I now wait with hopeful anticipation until the lesson is finished, and my sweet supportive husband is always there through it all.
When a couple realizes this and works together, they can embrace the adventure of change as a team. They can take problems, challenges, and difficulties and make them opportunities for growth.
Dale has been an amazing team mate, especially during my transition to working from home, pulling me away from my computer and encouraging me to get out and smell the roses. In working as a team, the endings aren’t quite so rough, the in between times aren’t so lonely, and the new beginnings are much more of a celebration.
The challenge is to find the significance, the lesson, the reason for the transition that is brought on by the change. The sooner we discover those lessons, the less the traumatic it will be. Yet often, change and transition just will not be rushed.
He does have plans to give us a hope-filled, abundant life as we walk through the changes and transitions of life. Hold on to this truth when you’re tossed to and fro by the winds of change, and it will anchor you to His love, as it did for me.
How has this scripture given you hope? I’d love to know!
