work in mysterious ways

[keannu]

Considering the whole context, this "work" seems to mean "have results/effect", but the translation goes as "prove right". What do you think?

mo37) Think back to your school days with teachers telling you to go with your first answer. If you had checked your answers, you would probably know that their advice was good. That’s because your first answer is usually based on your instincts and is mostly the correct one. Now when you are grown up, what’s your first answer to how you are going to handle this situation? You have just lost your job and need to replace that income. How are you going to deal with it? The answer is in your mind.
Don’t be afraid of following what your instincts are telling you to do. They work in mysterious ways, but they are designed to do what is in your own best interest. They are usually right.

 

[bhaisahab]

Considering the whole context, this "work" seems to mean "have results/effect", but the translation goes as "prove right". What do you think?

mo37) Think back to your school days with teachers telling you to go with your first answer. If you had checked your answers, you would probably know that their advice was good. That’s because your first answer is usually based on your instincts and is mostly the correct one. Now when you are grown up, what’s your first answer to how you are going to handle this situation? You have just lost your job and need to replace that income. How are you going to deal with it? The answer is in your mind.
Don’t be afraid of following what your instincts are telling you to do. They work in mysterious ways, but they are designed to do what is in your own best interest. They are usually right.

Have a look at this: work verb (OPERATE) - definition in British English Dictionary & Thesaurus - Cambridge Dictionary Online

 

[Gillnetter]

Considering the whole context, this "work" seems to mean "have results/effect", but the translation goes as "prove right". What do you think?

mo37) Think back to your school days with teachers telling you to go with your first answer. If you had checked your answers, you would probably know that their advice was good. That’s because your first answer is usually based on your instincts and is mostly the correct one. Now when you are grown up, what’s your first answer to how you are going to handle this situation? You have just lost your job and need to replace that income. How are you going to deal with it? The answer is in your mind.
Don’t be afraid of following what your instincts are telling you to do. They work in mysterious ways, but they are designed to do what is in your own best interest. They are usually right.

I can't see how "work" has much to do with "results" here. An automobile engine works in a certain way - fuel is fed, ignited, and the power is transmitted. Instincts work in certain way also - but we don't know how they work. Humans have number of basic instincts. Pulling your hand away from a fire is a basic instinct - this instinct keeps you from harm. Though we know what instincts are, we don't know how they operate. You could rewrite the sentence this way - "They see a danger and send a message to the hand to move quickly away from the fire (or, just use "work").

 

[keannu]

Both of you clearly seem to say it's 18 like in the following not 19, but sometimes I can't decide if it's 18 or 19 as 19 has the nuance of "effectiveness", which is quite different from 18. How can I choose the right one whenever I see "work"?

dictionary.com
18. to be in operation, as a machine.
19. to act or operate effectively: The pump will not work. The plan works.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's 18 in this case. It's not saying how effective your instincts are, just saying that they operate in mysterious ways.

19 would be for cases like "This new headache medicine really works!"

 

[keannu]

Awesome!!!!