Examples of God's Hidden Work in Our Lives
Understanding God's Hidden Work
The concept of God's hidden work in our lives is rooted in biblical teachings that highlight the mysterious and often unpredictable nature of divine providence. According to Ecclesiastes 3:10, "I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man" [2], indicating that God's work is an integral part of human existence. The Psalmist also acknowledges this when he prays, "May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish for us the work of our hands— yes, establish the work of our hands!" (Psalms 90:17) [4].
The Bible often refers to God's work as mysterious and hidden. In 1 Corinthians 2:7, it is written, "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory" [3]. This hidden wisdom is a recurring theme in biblical interpretation. For instance, Matthew Henry notes that there is "a twofold wisdom, one hidden in God, which is secret and belongs not to us, the other made known by him and revealed to man, which belongs to us and to our children" (Matthew Henry on Job 28:20) [13]. This distinction underscores the idea that while some aspects of God's work are revealed, others remain hidden.
The hidden nature of God's work is also reflected in the names of various biblical figures. For example, names like Elpaal, Jaasiel, Asiel, and Eliphaz are interpreted as meaning "God's work" or "the work of God" (Hitchcock's Bible Names) [5, 6, 7, 8]. Similarly, names such as Habaiah ("the hiding of the Lord") and Zephaniah ("the Lord is my secret") suggest the mysterious and hidden aspects of God's nature and work [9, 10].
In the view of Protestant academics, the activity of God is often seen as unpredictable and mysterious. The Tyndale House commentary on Ecclesiastes 11:5 notes that "the activity of God is often unpredictable and mysterious. Our job is to work when we have the opportunity to do so" [11]. This perspective emphasizes the importance of human diligence in the face of divine mystery.
John Gill's interpretation of Psalms 111:2 highlights the greatness of God's works, stating that "the works of the Lord are great... His works of creation are great, being made out of nothing, are the effects of great power, and the glory of their Maker" [12]. This underscores the idea that God's work, whether visible or hidden, is characterized by greatness and power.
The concept of God's hidden work is also linked to the idea of divine providence. According to Matthew Henry, "God does nothing mean. This is a good reason why we should acquiesce in all the operations of his providence concerning us in particular" (Matthew Henry on Job 36:24) [15]. This suggests that even when God's work is not immediately apparent or understandable, it is still purposeful and significant.
In Ephesians 2:10, it is written, "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life" [1]. John Gill interprets this passage as indicating that believers are "the work of grace upon the soul" and that this work is "a very curious work" authored by God (John Gill on Ephesians 2:10) [16]. This highlights the transformative nature of God's work in the lives of believers.
The biblical account encourages believers to trust in God's providence, even when His work is not visible or fully comprehensible. As John Gill notes, God "discovereth deep things out of darkness" (John Gill on Job 12:21) [14], suggesting that God's hidden work can lead to revelation and understanding.
Sources
- Ephesians “Ephesians 2:10 (BSB) — For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”
- Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 3:10 (BBE) — I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.”
- King James Version “[KJV] 1 Corinthians 2:7 — But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:”
- Psalms “Psalms 90:17 (BSB) — May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish for us the work of our hands— yes, establish the work of our hands!”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Elpaal — God's work”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jaasiel — God's work”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Asiel — the work of God”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eliphaz — the endeavor of God”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Habaiah — the hiding of the Lord”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Zephaniah — the Lord is my secret”
- Ecclesiastes (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ecclesiastes 11:5: 11:5 The activity of God is often unpredictable and mysterious. Our job is to work when we have the opportunity to do so (see Prov 12:11; 24:27).”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 111:2: The works of the Lord are great,.... His works of creation are great, being made out of nothing, are the effects of great power, and the produce of great wisdom, and which greatly display the glory of their Maker; the works of providence are great, which are daily wrought, especially such as concern the church and people of God, for whom he does great things, whereof they have reason to be glad and praise his name; the miracles of Christ he wrought here on earth were surprisingly great, some of them such as had not keen known from the creation of the world; and yet g”
- Job (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Job 28:20: The question which Job had asked (Job 28:12) he asks again here; for it is too worthy, too weighty, to be let fall, until we speed in the enquiry. Concerning this we must seek till we find, till we get some satisfactory account of it. By a diligent prosecution of this enquiry he brings it, at length, to this issue, that there is a twofold wisdom, one hidden in God, which is secret and belongs not to us, the other made known by him and revealed to man, which belongs to us and to our children. I. The knowledge of God's secret will, the will of his providence, is out o”
- Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 12:21: He discovereth deep things out of darkness,.... The deep things of God, his own deep things which lie in his heart, wrapped up in darkness impenetrable to creatures, and which could never be known unless he had discovered them; such as the thoughts of his heart, which are very deep, Psa 92:5; the deep things of God, which the Spirit of God only knows, searches, and reveals, Co1 2:10; even his thoughts of peace, and good things for his people, which are many and precious, are known to himself, and made known to them, or otherwise must have remained in darkness, and out o”
- Job (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Job 36:24: Elihu is here endeavouring to possess Job with great and high thoughts of God, and so to persuade him into a cheerful submission to his providence. I. He represents the work of God, in general, as illustrious and conspicuous, Job 36:24. His whole work is so. God does nothing mean. This is a good reason why we should acquiesce in all the operations of his providence concerning us in particular. His visible works, those of nature, and which concern the world in general, are such as we admire and commend, and in which we observe the Creator's wisdom, power, and goodnes”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship,.... Not as men only, but as Christians; not as creatures merely, but as new creatures; the work of grace upon the soul seems chiefly designed, which like a poem, as the word may be rendered, is a very curious work; the king's daughter is all glorious within, for this is an internal work, and is a good and excellent one; it is not indeed perfected at once, but is gradually carried on, till the finishing stroke is given to it by that hand which begun it; the author of it is God, it is not man's work; nor is it the work of ministers, no, no”