That’s Just How God Works: The God Who Turns Things Around

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people." Genesis 50:20 NLT

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Some time ago, after a fervent prayer to God, I closed my eyes, and as I was sleeping, I had a dream. I saw a woman in a fierce public altercation with a man who had deeply wronged her in the past and then run away. Stranded in her pain, she had no idea where he had gone, so she took her matter straight to the Lord. Day and night, she called on God to vindicate her, deliver her from her troubles, and expose where the man was hiding.

In my dream, she explained that God finally answered her cries. Out of nowhere, the man was offered a job opportunity—and it happened to be in the exact city where she lived. This altercation was the first time she had seen him since he fled. As she spoke in deep anguish, she suddenly fell silent. I looked at her and said, “That’s just how God works.” I repeated it several times, and all she could do was stare at me in silence.

She cried out in her pain, and a prayer-answering God heard her. He orchestrated a job offer to bring that hidden situation into the light. Even though she handled the confrontation poorly in the dream, the core message remains: she called, and God answered.

That is exactly how God works! He reverses what the enemy plots against His children. When the enemy sets a trap for us, God causes them to step into it themselves. When the enemy rejoices over our misfortunes, God causes us to rise above our adversities in front of a watching world.

We see this dynamic clearly in the life of Daniel. When Daniel was placed in charge of the other rulers in Babylonia, jealousy drove his peers to plot his downfall. They devised a master plan, tricking the king into signing a decree: for thirty days, no one could pray to any god or man except the king, under penalty of being thrown into a den of lions.

Of course, Daniel refused to stop praying to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For Daniel, pleasing God was infinitely more important than pleasing men. His rivals succeeded in having him thrown to the lions, celebrating what they thought was total victory. 

But the God of Daniel is not like any other god. He sent His angels to shut the mouths of the lions, leaving Daniel without a single scratch (Daniel 6:22). Daniel was found completely innocent, and the king subsequently threw those corrupt accusers into the very den they had built.

In my Christian walk, I have realized a profound truth: before a child of God takes their victory, God often leaves Satan to believe that victory is on his side. How else would God make His big statement?

For God's glory to be fully displayed, the enemy must think he has won first. And just as he stands there celebrating, God makes His grand entrance. When God steps in, our enemies tremble and fall. No one sees it coming, but the entire nation hears its roar. He takes a situation that looks like a total mess and turns it into an undeniable triumph.

When Pharaoh finally freed the Israelites, God deliberately led His people on a route that seemed completely illogical. The shortest path was through Philistine territory, but God knew that if the people faced immediate warfare, they would panic and run back to Egypt. Instead, He led them the long way around—the desert road toward the Red Sea—and told them exactly where to set up camp (Exodus 13:17-18). To Pharaoh, it looked like the Israelites were wandering around the land in total confusion (Exodus 14:3).

We must trust God when His directions do not seem to make sense, because that is usually when He is doing His deepest work. God explained His strategy clearly:

"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” — Exodus 14:4

The ignorant heart of the enemy will always tell you that you are trapped. But God will always shatter that lie the moment He makes His entrance—an entrance that breaks the very ground the enemy walks on.

He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever:

• He opened the Red Sea for His people and closed it to drown their pursuers.

• He sent His angels to secure Daniel in the lion’s den.

• He violently shook the prison doors open for Paul and Silas (Acts 16).

• He healed the sick and raised the dead throughout the scriptures.

This is the God who stands in your corner. He hears everyone who calls on His name in their affliction. He leaves onlookers completely stunned, and in the end, He brings ultimate glory to His name. When He is through with your situation, nations will wonder, “Who is this God that even the storms of life obey Him?”

Following Daniel's rescue, King Darius issued a decree commanding all nations to fear and reverence the God of Daniel as the one true, living God. That’s just how God works. He turns things around in favor of those who love Him, keep His Word, and call upon His name (Romans 10:13). He can cause an army marching to attack you to turn around and confuse themselves.

The story of Daniel is our roadmap of hope when we face traps that look impossible to escape. Where humans see a definitive failure, God sees a setup for victory. He protects us, refines us, and works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Never think for a single moment that God does not hear you. Your answer may arrive on a different timeline than you expected, but the God of Daniel never ignores the cries of His children. Whatever your current situation is, and wherever you find yourself today, never give up. Keep depending on Him, keep calling His name, and watch Him answer.