This verse kind of gets me on my high horse because of how people use it. You should not quote this verse to someone on a graduation card unless the college they are going to is a form of exile! This verse is in a letter written by Jeremiah to the people in exile. He is saying to them that they should make the best of their life in exile (verse 6-7). Later in verse 10, the Lord says He will fulfill the promises He has made because (verse 11) He knows what He is doing, and He isn't doing it to make them miserable, but to make them better. Because (verse 12) at then end of the whole thing, they will come to Him with a heart more devoted, and He will answer them. God is not simply saying, "I have a good plan for everyone! Puppies, rainbows, unicorns!" No! He does have good plans for everyone who trusts in Him, but more than that He is saying, "Even when your life is awful and you feel like I have totally abandoned you, I still have a plan for you. A plan for your peace and not for evil. A plan to give you a future and a hope." God is giving His people hope in the midst of exile. "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare" (Verse 7). God is commanding us to be optimists. Even more than that, He's sort of saying whether the glass is half empty or half full, you should pray that the Lord would overflow it, and then He should overflow it for your enemies as well.
Once again, God isn't promising an easy life, He's promising a good plan. It's all about perspective.
But really, all I care about is that I never see Jeremiah 29:11 on another graduation card again!
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