September 7
A Life
Wasted?
"I know the plans I have for you,” announces the Lord. “I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come."
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIrV)
Andy sat in the same bar, on the same stool, nursing the same pint he had every night for years. The low hum of conversations mixed with the clatter of glasses behind the counter. His mates were laughing about something at the other end of the pub, but he wasn’t in the mood to join in.
Forty-seven years old. Single. Working at the factory since he was twenty-one. Life had become one long, dull routine. His alarm went off at 5 a.m. every morning. He clocked in at the plant by six. Eight hours of moving parts along the assembly line. Then home, a quick shower, and straight to the pub. That was it. That was Andy’s life.
He used to have dreams. When he was younger, he had wanted to travel, maybe start his own business. But time had slipped away, and here he was—middle-aged, drinking cheap beer in a dingy pub, wondering if this was all life had to offer.
“Andy, you alright, mate?”
He looked up to see Liam, an old friend he hadn’t seen in years. Liam had left the factory a decade ago. Got married. Had kids. Andy remembered thinking Liam had made a mistake, settling down so soon. But looking at him now—happy, confident—Andy wondered if he had been wrong.
“I dunno, Liam. Feels like life just… passed me by.”
Liam sat down beside him. “You ever think maybe it’s not too late?”
Andy scoffed. “Too late for what? I’m almost fifty. My best years are behind me.”
Liam shook his head. “I used to think like that too. Then I realized something—God’s got a plan for each of us, even when we can’t see it. You ever think about that?”
Andy frowned. He wasn’t religious. Hadn’t been to church since his mum dragged him along as a kid. “Can’t say I have.”
Liam pulled out his phone and scrolled for a second before showing Andy a verse. Jeremiah 29:11. "I know the plans I have for you,” announces the Lord. “I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come."
Andy read the words twice. Hope? A plan? It sounded nice, but what did it mean for someone like him?
That night, as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the verse kept running through his mind. Could God really have a plan for me?
He let out a slow breath. For the first time in years, he whispered a prayer.
“God… if You’re there, if You really have a plan for me… show me.”
It wasn’t poetic. It wasn’t fancy. But it was real.
And for the first time in a long time, Andy felt something stir inside him. A tiny ember of hope.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
There are times when life feels empty, when I wonder if I’ve wasted my years.
But Your Word says You have a plan for me, a future filled with hope.
Lord, open my eyes to see Your purpose.
Help me to trust that it’s not too late, that You are not finished with me.
Give me the courage to take the first step toward the life You have for me.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
