God’s providence often contradicts His purpose; His divine wisdom tends to contradict the course of natural events. When God is executing His plan in our lives, He designs and arranges events which continue to unfold until His purpose is revealed. When we look at the way and manner God designs and arranges events in the life of His servants, you would discover this truth. Take Joseph as an example. Because Joseph was to be a blessing to his people, he had to taste poverty. Because Joseph was to be a source of freedom for his people, he had to taste imprisonment. What are you going through now? Remember Peter. Because Peter was to be a blessing to his people, he had to taste hardship, disappointment, setback, failure and want.
God often brings good out of evil and promotes the designs of His providence, even by the sin of men. For an example, the young Joseph had to go through a lot of tribulation and affliction for the purpose of God to be revealed in his life. His brothers’ intention was to starve him to death in the barren pit, whereas, God’s purpose for his life was to use him as an instrument for providing food for his brothers in times of great famine. God overruled his brothers’ evil designs in order to serve His purpose of making Joseph an instrument to save many people. Joseph said to his brothers, ‘As for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good so that many people might be saved’. The persecution we suffer in the hands of our detractors causes us to be to be known. Therefore, no trouble, no matter how great the trouble is, should prevent you from praying.