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Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NIV)
10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 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. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
We are told to “follow our dreams”, especially when we are young. But what if we do not know what that dream is? What if we followed the dream and it crashed and burned? The people of Israel had plans and dreams that were crushed by circumstances they could not control. For them, it was an invading army. For us, it might be an illness, a global stock market crash, or storm damage that requires major repair. Whatever the case, God promises us that He has a plan for our lives. If our dreams do not come true or we never even find that dream, God has a plan and He will not rest until it is accomplished. That is good news for our weary and burdened souls!