Paul responds to the absolute sovereignty of God with thanksgiving and prayer, making it clear that a true understanding of predestination and election does not lead to apathy but engagement with God’s purpose. God’s sovereignty is intended to give us confidence in the pursuit of His will. As Paul’s prayer in 1:17-23 indicates, it is a genuine knowledge of God that brings about transformation. God’s incomprehensible power is now at work in the lives of His people although we might not detect it if there is a failure to understand how that power is exercised according to His purpose.