Devotional

We all carry around a picture in our minds of how life should go. The dream job, the happy family, the smooth path from one milestone to the next. But what happens when life detours—when things unravel, or stall, or flat‑out fall apart? What happens when the picture we painted doesn’t look anything like the life we’re living?

I’ve been there. I’ve watched doors close that I thought God had opened. I’ve made plans that felt right—godly, even—only to see them dissolve before my eyes. And in those moments, I wrestled with the same questions many of us ask: “God, what are You doing? Did I miss it? Are You still with me?”

That’s why Jeremiah 29:11 has become such an anchor verse for so many. God is speaking to a people in exile—people whose lives had been upended, whose future looked nothing like what they’d hoped. And He says to them, “I know the plans I have for you…”

Not you know, but I know. Not plans to harm, but plans to give hope. Not maybe, but certainly.

Trusting God’s plan requires surrender. And surrender is not a one‑time decision—it’s a daily choice to let go of what we thought life would look like and cling to the One who holds every detail in His hands.

Isaiah 55:8‑9 reminds us that God’s ways are higher than ours. That means we won’t always understand what He’s doing in the moment—but we can still trust His heart. Just because His plan looks different doesn’t mean it’s worse. Sometimes the detour is actually the path.

I’ve seen it in my own life—how the seasons I never would’ve chosen ended up being the ones that produced the most growth, the deepest dependence, and the clearest view of God’s faithfulness. God doesn’t waste anything—not even the disappointment.

If you’re in a season right now where life feels off‑script, take heart. He’s still writing the story. He sees the whole picture. He’s not late. He’s not absent. He’s not confused. He knows the plans He has for you. And they are good.

You may not see the full picture today, but you can take the next step in faith. You can trust the Author, even when you don’t understand the chapter.