E.M. Bounds wrote that there are, “Two kinds of providences are seen in God’s dealings with men, direct providences and permissive providences. God orders some things, others He permits. But when He permits an affliction to come into the life of His saint, even though it originates in a wicked mind, and it is the act of a sinner, yet before it strikes His saint and touches him, it becomes God’s providence to the saint, In other words, God consents to some things in this world, many of them very painful and afflicting, without in the least being responsible for them, or in the least excusing him who originates them, but such events or things always become to the saint of God the providence of God to him. So the saint can say in each and all of these sad and distressing experiences, “It is the Lord; let him do what seems him good.” Or with the psalmist, he may say, “I was dumb; I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it.” (Or with Isaiah, he may say, “I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”)
Affliction that originates in a wicked mind, and is the act of a sinner is evil, but as Joseph said to his brothers,
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good”.