“Sometimes the providence of God is best seen looking backward.”

I heard these words several months back while listening to a sermon series by Life Church pastor Craig Groeschel on one of my daily walks. When I heard this message and these particular words, I was currently in the midst of a difficult and confusing space, and the message of hope I heard through this message spoke poignantly to my place of discouragement. While I didn’t find myself, like the Israelites, in a foreign country oppressed by slavery and facing potential annihilation, I was in a painful situation, uncertain how God might bring me through. These words by Craig were like a balm to my heart. I was reminded that although sometimes, during our hard times, it can be challenging to see, God is always GOOD and always working FOR our good. He has shown himself faithful through countless experiences throughout my life, just as He showed up for those we read about in scripture. Even when we can’t see it, that doesn’t mean God isn’t good or is not working behind the scenes. Instead, He walks with us in the pain, in the hard, and dwells with us until we can look back and see what He knew all along. And this is the story of the Israelites in the book of Exodus.