Proverbs 29:26 It all comes from above

Many seek an audience with a ruler,
    but it is from the Lord that one gets justice.

We all try to do the best we can with our lives, right? We try to eat nutritious food, we try to do well in school, well, I'm not choosing very good examples, am I? (Grin)  Sometimes I eat stuff that I know good and well is NOT good for me, and I didn't always give my best in school.

Let's try that again.

We attempt to make the best of our lives, to select a school to go to or a trade to learn, a spouse to marry, a car to drive, a home to live in, and on and on. What we don’t realize is that while we seek a certain conclusion to life’s questions and uncertainties in one direction, the answer comes from the Lord.
Ever heard people talk about God's will? They sometimes talk about His directed will, and His permissive will. His directed will is when He reaches down and directs a person or a situation, to accomplish His purpose. His permissive will is when he permits us to do something, or He permits something to happen in our lives. (Remember Job? The devil only had the ability to do what he did, because God permitted him to do so.)

It's interesting that people can be divided into groups by what they believe on this issue. The first group is the group of people who firmly believe that everything that happens in their lives comes from the hand of God. The second group is certain that they are the captains of their ships, and they are in complete control. The third group has no clue and really doesn't care -- their only interest is in what they can get from the world around them, and they are hoping for a pain-free and stress-free existence.

As Christians, we may be falsely accused and stand before a judge, asking for mercy and understanding. If we get it, it is because God directed it -- it all comes from above. As disciples of Jesus, we may desire a certain job, and want it so badly that we can taste it, as they say. If we are hired, it's because unbeknownst to the employer, God moved in the situation to accomplish His end.

How does He find the time to answer all of these prayers? Don't forget, He has an infinite amount of time, and love, in order to answer our finite prayers and and to direct our finite lives.

Does God permit us to do evil? Yes. We are free will beings, independent agents who should live our lives to glorify Him, but sometimes we experience epic failure due to our sin. Does He offer mercy and forgiveness? Oh, yes.

Jeremiah 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his own steps.
Psalms 86:5 For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy to all them that call on you.

Now is the time, and today is the day, to follow Christ, to believe in Him, and acknowledge His hand in our lives.  Seek to obey Him, and be thankful, for He has a purpose for our lives. Frankly, there are too many miracles for us to think that everything happens at random.
It all comes from above!