For I know the plans...

I'm sure this is one of those verses that almost everyone has heard at least once... It's one that's used for encouragement, a promise that brings hope:
"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
Sound familiar? Well, I've been reading through Jeremiah recently, and to be honest, a lot of it I found quite depressing. God uses Jeremiah to warn Israel and Judah that if they don't turn from their sins of idolatry and adultery, they will be severely punished. God sends destruction and captivity to teach His people that what they are doing is wrong. And then, I stumble across Jeremiah 29:11. God has disciplined and corrected His people quite harshly, but He still shows that He loves them and He gives them hope. He tells them that even though they have been punished and sent into captivity, He will renew them and give them fresh start.

God doesn't punish us because He hates us or because He wants to see us suffer. He wants to teach us that His way is best, and sometimes the only way to grab our attention is to discipline us and move us away from the wide, easy path. But He promises to give us a hope and a future in the end, to prosper us and not harm us. I just thought it was cool to find that verse in its context and get the full meaning behind it. I'm not saying that my interpretation of the verse is the final say on what it means... but I just wanted to share what I see in it and use it to encourage you.