God Moves in a Mysterious Way

This is one of my all-time favorite hymns. Cowper dealt with depression throughout his life and, as it is told, he wrote this shortly after a time of despair. I thought I would post it here:

God Moves in a Mysterious Way
by William Cowper

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.


I have confidence that, in all my struggles against the flesh, the devil, and the world, that God is indeed working things out for His glory and the good of His people. And yet it is incredibly hard while in the midst of these things. I need to remember to trust God in everything, both small things and big things. I've been through some very trying times over the last several months (both struggles from without and struggles from within), but I am thankful that God is faithful even when it seems I am just hanging on by a thread. But I am thankful that God has given us so many promises in Scripture, and that He comforts us also with both the words and presence of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Here is 2 Cor. 1:2-7, which was preached on last Sunday:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer;
7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.