READ: PSALMS 23:4; 37:1-9; 139:1-18; ROMANS 8:28-29

Somewhere along in my life, I realized I loved taking photos. To me, it was the most amazing thing to be able to capture a moment forever. A camera is one of the best tools for rendering an image we want to remember. It takes the light and shadows and makes them into a two-dimensional picture we can enjoy. When we look at a photo, we see how the mix of light and shadows creates a beautiful image that we can revisit again and again.

Life can be a lot like a photo. There is light, the good times in our lives. And shadows, the hard times. But unlike with a photo, in life we can’t see the whole picture—only the one small detail we’re in at the moment. And if it’s a hard time in our lives, it’s normal to wonder if God is still in control. But He is. And, unlike us, He sees the big picture. He knows how everything will work out, and He knows the person He’s growing us into.

No matter what we go through, He is using the good times, the hard times, and everything in between to transform us into the people He wants us to be. And He’s crafting a big picture that we get to be part of. He is always working for our good, and He is spreading the hope of Jesus to every corner of creation. We can trust that He knows the outcome of it all, and He is with us, loving us in every moment. • Haley Walts

• Sometimes we really wish we could see the big picture. How does it make you feel to know that God does see the big picture, and He is at work in every part of it for our good?

• While it can be so hard not to know the outcome of situations we’re facing, it can be comforting to remember that we do know the final outcome. Jesus has promised to return one day and restore the world—then there will be no more dark places, no more hard times (Revelation 21:1-5; 22:5). In the meantime, Jesus has also promised to be with us no matter what (Matthew 28:20). Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about what your life is like right now, telling Him about the good things, and the hard and frustrating things, and asking Him to help you notice His presence with you.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV)