No matter your opinion on religion, whether you are a staunch believer or an unapologetic atheist, that phrase "God's thoughts" is a delightfully poetic one. It represents in a metaphorical way nothing less than an understanding of the deepest and most fundamental laws of the universe. Specifically, the hope is that we will one day be able to explain all the kaleidoscope of matter and phenomena that we see as we look around us as arising from a small number of building blocks and perhaps a single force. This would no doubt be a breathtaking achievement, but it is highly improbable that it will be achieved soon. Instead, it is more likely that we will make incremental advances that one day might lead to success. In this article, the author reviews what is known so far and highlights holes in current theories that might provide clues to the next big advance. The core thrust of the article concentrates on realistic progress that might be made over the next few years regarding the understanding of the cosmos. Topics discussed include the Standard Model, dark matter and dark energy, how the Standard Model is incomplete, and the quest for a theory of everything.