Is it not from the mouth of the Most High what is bad and what is good? (Lamentations 3:38)
In Jesus' parable of the prodigal son, the son prematurely asks for his inheritance and leaves the house (Luke 15:11-32). How would you feel if you were the father? Are you going to let your child choose his own path?
The father knew that refusing the request would not change his rebellious son's attitude. He must have given the inheritance to the child with a heavy and painful heart, while praying that the hard collisions that were inevitable in the future would bring the child to repentance.
Like the father, God also allows what He does not like to happen. We see this in His care for the Hebrews of old. God has warned His people of the consequences of sin, but He leaves the choice up to them. They chose to rebel, which led to grim consequences.
The Book of Lamentations expresses Jeremiah's sorrow over the consequences. However, in the end, God gives good through the evil that He allows. This fact made Jeremiah convince Jerusalem that even though God was displeased with them, He was more angry with the Babylonians who had caught them (Lamentations 3:31-36).
THE WAY BACK TO GOD STARTS WITH A BROKEN HEART
* Take from Daily Reflections