Knowing that the Lord is overseeing and directing every circumstance in our life is a great comfort, but it can also raise questions about His role in the process. For example, how is He involved in situations that, in and of themselves, are not good?
Does God cause people to sin? The answer is no. He never initiates sin, nor does He tempt us to do evil (James 1:13). Christ came to rescue us from the penalty, power, and—eventually—the very presence of sin.
How does the Lord use our sin for good? When we make a mistake, the Holy Spirit convicts us and reveals the ugliness of sin so we can confess and repent. Then if we persist in disobedience, the Lord disciplines us so we can become more like Christ (Heb. 12:10) and share His holiness. In the process, we experience His grace and forgiveness.
Is God involved in the lives of unbelievers? His love and kindness are demonstrated generally by His provisions and blessings for earthly life, but specifically in the giving of His Son as the Savior of mankind (Titus 3:3-5).
Whenever you’re not sure about how God thinks about sin, go to His Word. He will guide you into truth.
