Trusting What You Cannot See

In December 1995, astronomer Robert Williams made a decision that nearly ended his career. As director of the Space Telescope Science Institute, he chose to point the Hubble Space Telescope at a tiny patch of sky in the constellation Ursa Major — a patch that appeared completely empty. For ten consecutive days, Hubble stared into what looked like nothing.

His colleagues were skeptical, even angry. Telescope time was precious, and Williams was wasting it on blank space. But he trusted that the darkness held something worth finding.

When the exposure finally resolved, the image stunned the scientific world. That pinprick of sky — no larger than a grain of sand held at arm's length — contained over three thousand galaxies. Not stars. Galaxies. Each one home to billions of stars. The Hubble Deep Field became one of the most important photographs in human history, revealing that even the emptiest corner of the universe was teeming with light we simply could not see yet.

Trusting God often feels like pointing your life at empty sky. You pray and hear silence. You obey and see nothing change. The people around you may question why you are wasting your time.

But the Almighty who filled the dark with three thousand galaxies is the same God who is at work in every season that looks empty to you. As the psalmist declared, "The heavens declare the glory of God" — even the parts we have not seen yet.

Keep your eyes open. The exposure is not finished.