October 16

Mysterious Providence

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” — John 13:7 BSB

This saying of Christ has a much broader application than its original reference to Peter’s confusion. It provides insight into many of the mysteries of our lives. We often don’t understand what God is doing in the moment. Many of His actions seem dark and confusing to us. But we aren’t in a position to judge His work while it’s still unfolding. "What I am doing, you do not understand now." How could we possibly grasp all of the Master’s great plans?

But that’s not the end. “You will understand later.” The mysteries of life will be explained, and the things that puzzle us now will eventually make sense. We don’t understand because we can’t see the end result yet; we can’t see the blessings and beauty that are still being formed. The Master, however, knows exactly what He’s doing, and He isn’t confused. He assures us that one day we will also understand. We will see the storm clouds retreat, glorified by a rainbow arching over them. We will see the tangled mess of our lives turned into something beautiful.

Someday, when life’s lessons are all learned,
And sun and stars for evermore have set,
The things which our weak judgments here have spurned,
The things o’er which we grieved with lashes wet,
Will flash before us, out of life’s dark night,
As stars shine most in deeper tints of blue;
And we shall see how all God’s plans were right,
And how what seemed reproof was love most true.

What’s the lesson? That we should trust God even when we don’t understand His ways. Surely, love has planned all things for us. Surely, there is blessing in the end, as it is already known in the mind of God. Surely, we will see the blessing ourselves one day.