Is God still providing even when things get hard?

Providence is God's provide-ence: The nature and status of what God has provided or is currently providing in and through the circumstances, you and I find ourselves in.

We don't normally view hard and difficult circumstances as God's provision. But in fact, everything we go through, as his children, whether good or bad (as we define it) is for our good. God is providing a good end even, and sometimes especially, through bad means.

Would you consider Joseph being sold by his brothers into slavery God's provision and a good thing? Or his being falsely accused and thrown in jail for years a good thing? Yet these and other circumstances ultimately lead to Joseph being promoted to second in command over all of Egypt and in the position to deliver his family from famine. Gen 37:3 - 50:20

What if the outcome of hard circumstances does not result in such dramatic provision, is God still providing? Yes, he is but what he's providing is of a spiritual and eternal nature which is far more significant than any present material provision. God's provision can be but is not necessarily or always physical or material.

The prosperity gospel folks have it right in that God always wants our good and is doing good for us. Where they go wrong is they assume it's always of a physical or material nature and always here and now. 

These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing (a drop in the bucket of eternal existence). Things that are seen don't last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. That's why we are to set our minds on the in things above (Col 3:1-2) that cannot be seen. 2Co 4:17-18 (CEV)  

These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. 2Co 4:17-18 (MSG)  

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2Co 4:17-18 (ESV)