God is sovereign. That means He’s the supreme authority over everything, including sin and its consequences. Yet, He doesn’t cause anyone to sin. Doing so would violate His righteous and holy nature. But the Lord does allow temptation to enter our lives. And since we have free will, we decide how to respond. Thankfully, He retains ultimate control and weaves the consequences of our actions for His purposes.
Sometimes God permits our sin to run its full course. For instance, when the Israelites refused to turn away from their disobedience, Psalm 81:12 says He “gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their own devices.” Without divine protection, the nation gave in to corrupt influences and ultimately was overrun. The Lord could have sheltered them from that outcome. But those very consequences drove the Israelites into repentance, which was His plan.
Sometimes God will put an immediate halt to sin. Such was the case in Genesis 20 when King Abimelech took Abraham’s wife Sarah for himself. The king had been misled by the couple. He was unaware that he was about to commit a sin. But the Lord knew, and He intervened.
Of course, the wisest plan is to completely obey so God never has to use either of these tactics. Temptation is inevitable. But sin isn’t. The Lord’s control over our lives means that any temptation must first pass through His permissive will. In this way, He makes sure His children are never tempted beyond their limit.
Bits and Pieces of Our Everyday 
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