Does God use sin?

I had an interesting conversation with my daughter today. She asked what three things I world change if I could go back in time. That led to a really interesting conversation about the fact that our past shapes what we are today.

So, I could have done things differently, but I'm not sure if I could have done "better," and doing different things would have made me a different person than I am today.

(For instance, I wish I had made the choice to use push sticks when I was woodworking with a router in 1997, but perhaps my fingertip loss has led me to be more cautious or to teach good lessons today. Can't change it; there's no use lamenting it.)

Anyway, I realize that there was one thing I could declare authoritatively: God would never give us a "better" alternative that comes about as result of personal sin.

Period.

Yes, all sorts of good things come about as a result of sin – either our own personal sins that lead to growth, or sins against us that we've overcome.  Sin is never God's "Plan A." When sin is involved, we can always say, "That was bad. That shouldn't have happened. He shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have done that."

Put another way, God can and will and does work through mankind's sinful choices. But He would rather not.

So, don't sin. (But you will.) And if you've sinned (you have) repent and accept the paid debt for that sin. 

Now, move forward.