Providence is the name of the biblical teaching that God not only planned His work, but actively works His plan.
Since we know that “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28), we can be assured that He is working out a beneficent plan for each of His true children that is going to turn out well.
We can, therefore, say, whenever a situation arises that may not be very pleasant
- God is in the problem
- God is up to something in the problem
- God is up to something good in the problem
Every truly saved person, therefore, may take heart, knowing that in the end, God has something in view that in this life, or the next, will be seen to have been for his very best.
Sometimes God allows us to see that outcome in this life; sometimes He doesn’t. Often we see only parts of it. Usually, that is the case. Joseph is one of those exceptions (See Genesis 50:20). Indeed, since He is working “all things together” it’s virtually impossible to begin to understand all of the ramifications of what is happening. (Even Joseph didn’t know what effects his words would have throughout the centuries and in your thinking today!). We don’t know all things; we can’t, therefore, put very many of those infinite number of things “together” to see the overall pattern of His plan at work.
So, then, what do we do?
Trust. Or, as the song rightly puts it, Trust and Obey.
— Jay Adams