When God Doesn't Give the Details

God says, "I know the plans I have for you." This is one of the most famous verses in the Bible, found on coffee mugs, tattoos, and framed on walls everywhere. But here's the honest truth: many of us have a love-hate relationship with this promise. We love it because we desperately want to believe God has a plan for us. We hate it because sometimes it doesn't feel like He does.

Understanding the Context

To really understand Jeremiah 29:11, we need to go back and see who said it, why, and what it meant to the people who first heard it.

It all starts with God's big plan for humanity. In the beginning, God created us in His image. We sinned. Because of sin, there's a divide between us and God. So God says, "I have a plan." He calls a man named Abraham and says:

"Leave your house, leave your family. You're going to start a family on your own. In your lineage, you're going to affect generation after generation. I'm going to bless the whole world because of you."

Abraham doesn't know where he's going. God says, "Not going to tell you. Just go." Abraham leaves without the details. He ends up homeless in a tent, going through famines where people starve to death. He and Sarah wait 25 years—25 years of monthly prayers: "God, is this the month?"—before they have Isaac when Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 90.

Then comes Joseph. God gives Joseph a dream about prominence, and Joseph tells his brothers. They hate the dream so much they sell him into slavery for 13 years in Egypt. During all that time—slavery, prison, darkness—Joseph has no idea God's plan is unfolding. Then suddenly, the Pharaoh has a dream Joseph interprets. Joseph is freed, put in charge of Egypt, and saves an entire nation from famine—including his own family who come to him for food, not recognizing him.

Moses doesn't know what will happen. God tells him, "Take this stick. Go tell Pharaoh to let my people go." Moses goes nine times. Pharaoh says "No" nine times. If you were Moses, wouldn't you think, "Did God really talk to me?" But the tenth time, God moves Pharaoh's heart and says, "Fine, go."

The nation of Israel escapes 400 years of slavery. But then they arrive at the Red Sea—and Pharaoh's army is chasing them. Moses holds up the stick, the Red Sea parts, they walk through, and God closes it behind them.

But here's what happens next: what should have been an 11-day journey takes 40 years. They tour around in circles for 40 years. People in that caravan are thinking, "He said there's a promised land. We've been driving in circles for 40 years. I don't see any of it." Then Moses dies. "Now our leader is dead. Does God have a plan?"

But God tells Joshua, "As I was with Moses, so I'll be with you. I'll never leave you or forsake you. Cross the Jordan and take the promised land." Joshua does—and they have to fight 31 battles. Thirty-one times their lives are at stake. Battle after battle after battle. If you've lived through a season where "the hits just keep coming," they knew what that felt like.

Finally, they settle the promised land. But over centuries, the pattern repeats: one generation follows God, the next rebels. Kings come and go. Some worship God; others turn to false idols and even sacrifice babies to them. God finally says, "I have a plan. My plans never fail. You need consequences."

So the northern kingdom is conquered by Assyria. The southern kingdom, Judah, is conquered by Babylon. The entire nation is taken into 70 years of exile. Parents are murdered. Children are murdered. Their dreams are crushed. Everything's turned upside down.

And in the middle of that exile, God sends the prophet Jeremiah with a message:

"When 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. You're struggling. You're hurting. But I am God. I am in charge. I have a plan."

This becomes a turning point. A new generation finally starts to believe it. They hold on. The 70 years end. God moves the heart of King Cyrus of Persia—a man who doesn't even follow God—to destroy Babylon and let the people go back to Jerusalem. They rebuild the temple. Ezra becomes a spiritual guide. Nehemiah rebuilds the walls. Jerusalem is restored based on serving God.

Then: 400 years of silence. No prophets. No messages from God. Just waiting.

And then Jesus comes. The Son of God born to a virgin, lives a sinless life, dies on the cross to pay the price for our sins, and rises on the third day, proving He is the one and only way to heaven.

The Real Issue: We Want Details

Here's where I think we get stuck. God says, "I know the plans I have for you." He never said He'd tell us the plan. He never said He'd give us the details up front. Yet we get upset with Him for not giving us what He never promised.

We pray: "God, show me the plan. Show me the details. What's going to happen? Where am I headed?" And we want to know: What's going to happen in a few years? Where are you taking me? What's going on?

But look at every story. Abraham didn't get the details. Joseph didn't get the details. Moses didn't get the details. God doesn't do upfront details. It's as if He actually wants us to live by faith and not by sight.

You know what I realized this week? Thank God He doesn't give details. If Abraham had known everything he was about to go through—every hardship, every famine, every struggle—I wonder if he would have gone. If Joseph had known that dream would cost him 13 years of slavery and imprisonment, he would have been scared to death and worried the whole time.

Honestly? I've thought about this in my own life. If God had told me and my wife Jill 21 years ago about all the twists and turns we were going to face—the heartache we'd feel, the loneliness, the betrayal, the judgment, the panic attacks and anxiety so severe I'd question if I wanted to keep living—I don't think we ever leave Rockford, Illinois. I'm being honest. I'd be the oldest youth pastor in a three-state area right now, happy as can be.

Think about your life. Do you go through with that plan if you'd known all the twists and turns? Do you start that company? Do you take that risk? Do you enter into that relationship?

I think God's kindness is that He doesn't give us all the details.

But here's what He does give us: peace. He says:

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you and all whose thoughts are fixed on you."

We think peace comes from having all the details. It doesn't. It would terrify you, because you'd know ahead of time everything that would go wrong. Ignorance is bliss.

He says, "Peace won't come through getting more details. Peace will come through choosing to trust Me. Peace will come through fixing your thoughts on Me." We don't really need the details. We need the God of the details.

Life Still Has Problems

Here's the second lie that creeps in: "If God really has a plan for me, I wouldn't have this many problems."

I couldn't find a single story in the Bible where God had a call on somebody's life and everything went perfect. Problems, problems, problems. Nonstop.

But here's what we do: we think, "If God had a plan for me, this wouldn't be happening. I wouldn't be struggling. We wouldn't be going through this for this long. My life wouldn't look like this. My family wouldn't have to go through this."

Can I remind you? It's actually the opposite. Jesus promised us we'd have problems:

"In this world, you will have trouble, but take heart. I've overcome the world."

We were promised problems and promised that God has a plan. The two happen at the same time. Our pain and our problems don't delete or diminish the fact that God has a plan. We're imperfect people in a broken world. Until heaven, we have pain. We have problems. Of course we don't like it.

But the promise is: "You'll go through difficult things. But because I have a plan, I'll be with you. I'll never leave you or forsake you. I'll walk with you through the valley of the shadow of death. You don't have to be afraid because my rod and my staff will comfort you. No weapon formed against you will prosper. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."

God will be with you through the problems.

My Story

I want to testify about this. At 24, I started having panic attacks and couldn't figure out what was happening. I was in LA, trying to work in the film business, spending time with people who used a lot of drugs. I started using, and it got bad. Really bad. I got to a point where I wanted to end my life.

I went to see my mom in Kansas. We were walking around her neighborhood, and I was crying. I said, "Mom, nothing is working in life. Nothing is right. I'm so anxious. I'm so screwed up. I can't control my mind. I feel like I'm sick or crazy or something."

She said, "Sean, God has good plans."

I wanted to punch my own mom. Don't tell anybody. "Mom, I can't even imagine something better. I feel like I'm in a pit of despair. I don't even think it's possible."

About two days later, I sat down to take my own life. But right before I did, I had this thought: "What if heaven and hell is real? Maybe I should find something out about that before I do something crazy."

I called the only Christian I knew from college. He brought me to Illinois and took me to church. I walked in with drugs on me. The pastor said, "If you'll give your life to Jesus, He'll change everything."

I gave it a chance. I said, "I'm really screwed up, but if You'll have me, I need You."

Something happened that day that changed the rest of my life. I moved there, got in a small group, interned, met my wife Jill, and we have three amazing boys. I love them so much it hurts.

Jill and I just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. We renewed our vows on a mountain with our boys and my sister. That picture is my phone's screen saver right now.

When I was 24, I was 100% hopeless. I was sure God didn't have a plan in the world for me. But God had a plan. God envisioned things I could have never envisioned for myself.

All I could see was pain and heartache. I couldn't see anything working. I didn't feel like God talked to me when I prayed. I wasn't getting any answers. Nothing seemed to be working. But the whole time, God was saying, "No, no, no. I see you. Don't you dare give up. I got a plan for you. I'm the God who does more than you could ever ask, think, or imagine. Don't let go of your life. Don't let go of your faith. I got a plan."

One day, you're going to experience it if you keep the faith. You're going to turn around and say, "Thank God I didn't give up, because now I have a testimony. Look what my God has done in my life."

What Do We Do?

So what do we do when we're dealing with those thoughts? When we don't feel like God has a plan because we're not getting details? When it doesn't add up? When we prayed and it didn't happen the way we wanted in the timeframe we wanted?

God actually tells us in the verses right after the promise:

"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 a hope and a future. You will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord."

Let me tell you a story. About 15 years ago, some friends invited us to their family's lakehouse. I didn't know this picture was being taken, but Jill took a picture of me and our son Ashton when he was two.

I was thinking about that picture this week. Ashton had no idea what I had planned for him. He had no idea there was a boat. No idea there were fishing poles. No idea there was an area stocked with fish. No idea they had an in-water trampoline. No idea I was going to pull him on a tube. He knew none of it.

But you know what? He was not worried. Not anxious. Not afraid. He was laughing and whistling and talking my head off. Why? Because even at two years old, my son had figured something out: if Dad's got my hand, it doesn't matter what's coming around the corner. I'm good.

My dad is big and strong. He protects me and guides me. As long as I've got his hand, I'm good.

And God says we can still do that today:

"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, 'Do not fear. I will help you.'" (Isaiah 41:13)

God says, "I've got something way better for you than details that would stress you out. I'm the God of the universe and I actually have a plan for you. And that's a promise.

I see you. I see you on your good days. I see you on your bad days. I see you when you feel like you've got the world whipped. I see you when you feel like you've never struggled more than you are right now.

And I believe God wanted me to say to somebody today: "I see you. Don't you dare give up. I got a plan for you."

Maybe today it's financial stress that feels overwhelming. Maybe it's a difficult family dynamic. Maybe you're fighting for your marriage. Maybe you feel like you're starting over in some area of life. Maybe it's a mental illness or physical illness or a diagnosis. Maybe you've been through something hard.

Whatever it is, God wants you to be reminded: The God of the universe has a plan specifically for you. The God who created the oceans and the mountains with His voice says, "I got a plan for you. It's for your good. You're going to prosper. That word is shalom—peace. You're going to have hope. You're going to have a future. So don't you dare give up, because I got you."

Hold His Hand

Just walk with Him. Just hold His hand.

I've been thinking about what we do with our hands and how they represent what we're thinking and feeling. Sometimes when I think about whether God has a plan for my life, my heart posture would be this: clenched fists. "I've been asking. I've been praying. Nothing. Have you seen what I'm going through? Do you see me at all? Are you paying attention? Why don't you care?"

But Philippians says:

"Rejoice and continue to rejoice. When you feel anxious, talk to God and pray to God and be thankful. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus."

What if this week, instead of clenched fists, my hands looked different? What if I opened my hands? I got diagnosed with Parkinson's four years ago. I've been praying every day for four years. It hasn't changed yet. There are times I think, "Do You really have a plan?" I think about the future and wonder, "How can I do this in 10 years? Can me and Jill travel when we retire? How long can I play basketball with my boys?"

It's easy to do the clenched fists thing all week. But what if this week I did this instead? [open hands, palms up] What if instead of that, I did this? "I'm going to praise You, God. I'm going to pray to You, God. And I'm going to raise my right hand and say, 'God, will You just take me by the hand?'"

Maybe you grew up without a dad you could run to. You didn't have a dad who protected you. You didn't have the dad you wished you had—the dad you should have had. If that's the case, I'm really, really sorry.

But I want to tell you: you have that Dad today.

He says, "You just give me your right hand, and I'll hold your hand, son. I'll hold your hand, daughter. And I'll get you through anything you're going through, because I got a plan for your life. And my plans don't fail."