¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 CSB)

I have probably written on this scripture, or ones like it, more than any other. The reason I do so is to acknowledge that even in our darkest times God has a plan for us. And it is a plan for our well-being, not for the disaster we may be living through.

The last few years have been difficult for just about everyone. But today is a new day, and we need to look at each new day (be it a new year or not) optimistically. We need to know that God is in our corner.

As we move into this new year we have an opportunity to see things differently. To treat each other differently. To treat ourselves differently.

The above starts in reverse, if we are not treating ourselves well then how can we hope to treat others well. Too often I see that our self-love is not God-love. It treats us more harshly than we treat others. It believes we are not good enough so we do not deserve either our own or God’s love.

This could not be further from the truth. We deserve to be happy and to know we are loved. We need to begin here so that we can show that love to others. We need to accept God’s gift of a future and a hope.

It is in hope that all things begin and Jesus came to show mercy and provide a hope of salvation.