Today’s edition of the Christian Standard enewsletter included a short quote from Brian Jones’ book Second Guessing God. “Nothing ever happens to us that doesn’t ultimately accomplish God’s goals for our lives,” he writes. “God’s providence means he is always working behind the scenes, outside of our view, to provide us with something, even when we don’t understand what’s happening at the time.”

I live most of my life in that space—not understanding what’s happening at the time. Occasionally God allows me to look back and see the way he orchestrated situations and answered prayers to bring me good. More often, he does not, and I must simply trust that this time—like all the others before and in spite of what I may be feeling or experiencing in the moment—he is still working for my good.

I love these lyrics from “The Wood Song” by the Indigo Girls:

no way construction of this tricky plan
was built by other than a greater hand
with a love that passes all our understanding
watching closely over the journey

but what it takes to cross the great divide
seems more than all the courage i can muster up inside
but we get to have some answers when we reach the other side
the prize is always worth the rocky ride

sometimes i ask to sneak a closer look
skip to the final chapter of the book
and maybe steer us clear from some of the pain it took
to get us where we are this far
but the question drowns in its futility
and even i have got to laugh at me
cause no one gets to miss the storm of what will be
just holding on for the ride

This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for a God who for some reason loves me so much that he works even my not-so-good into good. I’m thankful I have that God as a traveling companion through the storm of what will be.

I’m actually thankful I don’t get to see the next chapters of my life. And I’m really thankful for the final chapter in The Book, which makes it all worthwhile.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.