God does not allow our past failures to dominate our today. This is something we have to grasp, because people are spending too much time looking back. This causes them to get stuck where they are because they are giving too much attention to what was. Our God wants us to acknowledge what we have done wrong and then move forward. He knows we will make mistakes along the way and He wants us to learn from them. By doing this we will not keep making the same mistakes, which will impede our ability to move forward. We serve a God who is always looking ahead, and does not dwell on the past. This is a lesson we have to understand, past failures will not dictate our actions today. The Lord wants you to know He has not given up on you, so don’t give up on yourself. 

In Jeremiah 29:11, the Lord is letting the Israelites know, “I know the plans I have for you”. These are words of encouragement to them. The Israelites failed to do the will of the Lord and this opened the door for the Babylonians to capture them. Many of them were exiled to Babylon and felt everything was lost. They had failed to be obedient to the Lord and now they are paying the consequences for their actions. They see themselves as failures, and they have no hope. They are currently broken people due to their failures, and they don’t feel they have any purpose. However, the Lord has Jeremiah write these words for them, to let them know the Lord has not given up on them. They are being told the following, “the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” They are being told you are not stuck where you are, the Lord has things you will accomplish. Therefore, don’t give up believing but know you can still have hope. Don’t focus on the current obstacle, because the opportunity for things to improve are on the way. In essence the Lord wants them to keep hope alive. The Lord knows how it looks right now, but it is going to get better. You have to keep looking ahead, because your blessings are in front of you.  This is a message that is still applicable for you today. Yes, you are currently in a place, because of your disobedience to the will of the Lord. You have failed, but you are not a failure. Why, because the Lord still has a plan for your life. So, start looking ahead and the Lord will show you the opportunities that are in front of you. You have to make the decision to keep hope alive and the blessings before you will be revealed. You can start praising the Lord right now, because you know it’s going to get better! Continue to walk in your blessings.