God and his Plans

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

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.

These days, it is becoming more and more difficult to get people to plan beyond today. We hear of Christians in despair now, already doubting if even God can make sense out of the disorder and discontent in this country. A lot of us have become fatalistic in our thinking, looking heaven-ward, not caring anymore about what goes on here on earth. Our experiences have made us so  cynical that we now say that even God cannot help this country anymore.
But I'm bold to say this: even for Nigeria, things were just as bad as it was then for Israel. There was idol worship in Israel, there was grave injustice, oppression and murder. Was it not in Israel that due to famine, 2 mothers agreed to eat their children as food until one refused to give up hers after eating the other one's child? Was it not in Israel that a king killed another citizen over a vineyard? Was it not in the same Israel that a prophet who spoke the truth was hounded into prison and almost killed? What was happening then that is not happening here in Nigeria now? Where has the rot not spread to? Families, communities, societies and the state seem to have been bitten by the corruption bug. Even the church of Christ is being threatened by this rot as those of the world want to bring in their practices into the church. We have almost given up hope; we seem to have accepted the rot. Most times, we don't even bother to pray anymore, just believing that our going to heaven will give a final solution to the problems we face.
But in the midst of all these, I hear God saying: I have great plans ahead. When we hear that atimes, our logic and reason kicks in and tries to rationalise how these things will be. We weigh our present with what God has said and we wonder just how it will be. Gratefully, God's power does not depend on me for efficacy, his power is awesome even if all of us deny him. What backs up his word is his power and nature, and as he has said: he is not a man. Man makes a promise and has to be reminded most times because he has forgotten or he may have to amend his promise because there is no more capacity. But God has capacity, capability and cause to fulfil every promise he makes because he is the owner, holder and giver of all he has promised. Who else would be trusted to give you something other than the person who has full, effective and total possession of that thing?
Whatever you may be going through, know this: there is a promise of a good end. It is not the present that matters most, it is the end. Maan works from the NOW, praying that he makes it to an end that he is not even sure about. God works from the end, ensuring that all your experiences, good or otherwise, tallies with his own predetermined good end. Trust his wisdom, timing and Word. There's no record of failure.