Hope in Uncertain Seasons



“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,” says Yahweh, “thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.”

— Jeremiah 29:11 (WEB)


Uncertainty has been a theme in my life.

I’ve wrestled with anxiety for as long as I can remember, but it grew sharper in the years when I was losing the people I loved most. My mom passed away first, and not long after, my dad too. Both losses left a hole I couldn’t fill. Add to that my own health struggles, perimenopause, and the battle of trying to take care of my body after years of weight gain and loss—it sometimes feels like one long, unsettled season.

And in the middle of it all, I’ve asked more than once: God, where is this hope You promised?

A Verse That Feels Both Comforting and Complicated

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of those verses that shows up everywhere. It’s on cards, plaques, and social media posts. But when you’re sitting in grief, or lying awake at night with anxiety twisting in your chest, those words can feel almost too neat.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you… thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.”

Really, God? Because my life doesn’t feel like peace right now. It feels like loss, fear, exhaustion. It feels like wandering.

I used to think this verse meant everything would suddenly work out. That God’s plans for me would be obvious, happy, and smooth. But Jeremiah’s audience—the exiles in Babylon—weren’t given quick answers either. They were told the waiting would last seventy years. That’s a lifetime for many. But God still told them, I see you. I have not forgotten you. Your story isn’t ending here.

When Life Feels Stuck

There were months after my mom died when I couldn’t cook dinner without crying. I’d stand in the kitchen, remembering her hands moving so naturally while she made meals, and the grief would hit me all over again. Later, when my dad passed, it felt like the bottom fell out from under me completely.

And then came the health battles. I’ve tried to do “all the right things” with food and exercise, but my body hasn’t responded the way I wanted it to. That makes uncertainty feel even heavier—like maybe I’ve failed, or maybe my future won’t hold the healing I keep praying for.

But in those moments, when hope feels far away, this verse whispers something I need to hear: God still has thoughts toward me. He hasn’t abandoned me. His plan isn’t undone.

Hope Isn’t Always Loud

I think sometimes we picture hope as this big, joyful burst. But for me, hope has often been small. It has looked like:

  • Managing to pray when all I can say is, “Lord, help me.”

  • Pushing through another workout even when the results aren’t instant.

  • Remembering that the same God who carried me through losing my parents will also carry me through my current unknowns.

Hope isn’t pretending the pain isn’t there. It’s trusting that God is still writing even when the chapter feels dark.

Looking Back, Seeing His Hand

When I look back now, I can see places where God’s hand held me even when I didn’t realize it. He gave me strength to keep going after my parents were gone. He gave me a deeper compassion for others walking through their own grief and anxiety. And even in the frustrating parts of my health journey, He’s teaching me endurance and dependence on Him instead of on my own strength.

It’s not the story I would have chosen, but I can see threads of His faithfulness in it.

A Word for You

If you’re in an uncertain season, I get it. I know what it’s like to feel like tomorrow is a giant question mark. But please don’t forget this: God’s thoughts toward you are not cruel. He isn’t playing games with your life.

He is the same God who spoke to His people in exile and reminded them that their story wasn’t finished yet. And your story isn’t finished either.

So even if all you can do is hold onto one small verse today, let Jeremiah 29:11 be it:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you… to give you hope and a future.”

Prayer:
God, You know how fragile my heart feels in seasons of uncertainty. You know the grief, the anxiety, the questions that never seem to end. Please remind me that Your plans are still good, even when I can’t see how. Help me trust that You hold my future in Your hands. Amen.

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