Great Plans after Babylon Jeremiah 29:11

Great Plans after Babylon Jeremiah 29:11

What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? In this message from The Recovery Pastor Podcast, Shan connects the famous verse Jeremiah 29:11 to real-life struggle, chaos, and recovery, especially for those who feel stuck in their own "Babylon". Speaking honestly about how people often grab verses like Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 4:13 out of context, Shan walks through the wider story of Israel in exile.

Instead of a quick spiritual slogan, this passage becomes a picture of long-haul faith, waiting, and growth. You’ll hear how Jeremiah’s three bits of advice to the exiles – keep living your life, keep your integrity, and stop listening to false prophets – speak straight into seasons of addiction, grief, and disruption. Shan uses family stories about “connecting the dots” across generations to show how God can be at work in ways that only make sense years later.

She reminds everyone that, "God has a plan that we don't understand. And let's be honest, if we knew an ounce of God's plans... how many of us would want to change them?" It’s a gentle push to trust the process, even when it feels like a spiritual kidney stone. There’s also a strong warning about teaching that only tells you what you want to hear – whether in church, in recovery circles, or in everyday advice.

Shan points back to scripture, the serenity prayer, and the need to check what you’re told against God’s character and word. If you’ve ever felt consumed by your own “Babylon” – addiction, anxiety, broken relationships, shame – this talk asks a piercing question: "What's your babylon?" and invites you to believe that God still has "great plans" for your life, centred on peace, joy, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. So, what might change if you really trusted that promise today?