God is always at work, even in the times where we think the world is spinning out of control and God is nowhere to be found. We recently went through a recession and will be dealing with the repercussions of it for years to come. High unemployment and large government deficits won’t be going away anytime soon. But even in the midst of a recession, we can know that God is powerfully at work. In a sermon that John Piper preached in February of 2009, he explains some of God’s purposes in the recession. Check them out:

1. He intends for this recession to expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing.

2. He intends to wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the developing world where there is always and only recession of the worst kind.

3. He intends to relocate the roots of our joy in his grace rather than in our goods, in his mercy rather than our money, in his worth rather than our wealth.

4. He intends to advance his saving mission in the world—the spread of the gospel and the growth of his church—precisely at a time when human resources are least able to support it. This is how he guards his glory.

5. He intends for the church to care for its hurting members and to grow in the gift of love.