There’s a John Piper quote I often think about when life is hard or frustrating: “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.”

It’s comforting to remember in times of suffering that the Lord is working in my life in ways I don’t see. I imagine the joy of swapping stories in the new creation and finding out more about what God was doing through what seemed pointless or unfair.

As important as it is to take comfort in the 9,997 unseen things God is undoubtedly doing, we also ought to rejoice in the three we do see. So take the time to notice how God is at work in your life and in the world, and praise him for that.

Hurricanes Helene and Milton have brought devastation across the Southeastern United States. The terrible damage and loss of life have dominated our screens. And yet, “the Christian community, of the church, has been a beacon of light,” according to Paul Maurer, who leads a Christian college near Asheville, North Carolina.

In an article last week, Maurer testified to God’s grace amid the storms. He points to the visible signs that God was with them and to the way God worked, including by sending out the church to serve their neighbors.

In an age of increasing division and polarization, even among God’s people, perhaps the relief efforts of countless faith-based charities, of churches, and of individual Christians can testify to the beauty of Christ’s body and bring many to know him. Maybe that’s one of the ways God is working in this disaster—and we just have to trust him with the rest.