If there's one verse I can't stand to hear quoted, it's Jeremiah 29:11. You've heard it, I'm sure: "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.'"
Everyone loves it for its sentiment. It feels so happy, like Yay! God's got plans to make every day of my life amazing!
I can't stand it because it's so taken out of context. Jeremiah is, with perhaps this verse being the only exception, a depressing book condemning the people of Judah for their wicked ways. Just listen to some of the things God promises to do:
- Give their wives and fields to other people (8:10)
- Take away their harvest (8:13)
- Send venomous snakes to bite them (8:17)
- Bring distress so great the sound of wailing will be heard (9:19)
- Decrees disaster (11:17)
- Kill the young men by the sword and their children by famine (11:22 - specific to those plotting against Jeremiah)
- Send four kinds of destroyers: the sword to kill; dogs to drag away; birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy (15:3)
- Give their carcasses as food to the birds and beasts (19:7)
- Summon enemies to conquer them, banishing the sounds of joy and gladness and making the whole country a wasteland (25:9-11)
- Make them serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (chapter 27)
There are even some texts kind of similar to chapter 29. Like in 18:10 when he does mention good plans, but then says "if [a nation or kingdom] does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it."
And then comes chapter 29. A letter to those exiled and in captivity in Babylon, basically telling them, "Settle in. Have kids. Build houses. It's going to be 70 years, as punishment for your evil deeds." Even if you only read 29:10 as context, you get a bigger picture: after the 70 years, God will be gracious and bring them back. Cue 29:11. He isn't saying he has amazing plans for each of their lives. Many of them will be dead in 70 years. Those that are alive will be very old and have spent most of their lives in captivity. He is saying that as a whole, he has good plans for his people once they have paid for their wickedness.
So when you see this verse on graduation cards, what you're really telling the graduate is: "You are a wicked, evil person who will spend three generations paying for your sins. But eventually, God will be gracious to you. So buck up, kiddo, and get used to suffering." When you write it on a get well card, what you're really saying is, "You are paying for your sins with this illness, and it will be a while before things get better." If that's the message you want to send, by all means, keep doing it. But if you want to send an uplifting message in these situations, I'd suggest a different verse.
