He's not a genie, He's God

“For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.”  Jeremiah 29:11
People like to quote Jeremiah 29:11 because it sounds fluffy and nice, like God is going to give us everything we want.  The reality is, it was a promise given to exiles who were going to have to live in a foreign land under foreign rule for 70 years.  It was a big promise, one necessary to see them through a very difficult time, generations of difficult times.  
God gave the exiles this promise to tell them,  “This hard time will not end in your demise, but will be used to grow and teach you.  You will come out of this better for it, not ruined.” All the exiles could see was their destruction, but God saw their future, a future of hope and promise. Instead of locking their eyes on their circumstances, the exiles needed to lock their eyes on God.  Once more, they needed to become the people of God. 
Today, people like to use this verse too.  But just like in Jeremiah's time, they want the reward without the struggle.  They print it on t-shirts and backpacks, wanting to advertise God as a way to get what you want and make your dreams come true.  But God is not a genie. He wants so much more and so much better for us than what we would ask for!  The thing is, that which is worth having comes at a cost. If it cost us nothing, it is worth nothing. What about our salvation you might ask? That came at the cost of laying down our old life so that we might have a new life in Christ! The two cannot exist together. 
Here's the Thing: I have no doubt that God has a future filled with hope planned for me.  That does not mean that He will be leading me out of exile any time soon.  I'm here for a reason, and I'm grateful for His perfect plan for me. 

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