“He makes these things happen either to punish people or to show his unfailing love.” (Job 37:13, NLT).

During Elihu’s discourse to Job, Elihu counseled Job to proclaim God’s majesty and the greatness of God’s providential action in His creation rather than questioning God’s judgment and justice by proclaiming his own righteousness.

God is sovereign and He wants His good plans and purposes to be accomplished. God is greater than evil and can even use the evil actions of Satan and human beings to accomplish His good purposes.

So the same act by God can serve multiple causes–judgment and love. God’s redemptive action in His creation and in our individual lives may provide for our correction; it may enable his plans and purposes; or maybe it’s just because God is good to us that He causes things to happen the way they do!

If you are a child of God, you can be assured that God is working His will for your good and your good for His will.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28, NLT)