Evil from God?

 ¹⁰Now it came about on the next day that ^(K)an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and ^(L)he raved in the midst of the house, while David was playing the harp with his hand, ^(M)as usual; and ^(N)a spear was in Saul's hand.
 ^11(O)Saul hurled the spear for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David escaped from his presence twice.
 ¹²Now ^(P)Saul was afraid of David, ^(Q)for the LORD was with him but ^(R)had departed from Saul.


1 Samuel 18:10-12


As I'm reading this I'm focusing on verse 10, about "... an evil spirit from God..."  Is this really possible?  Can an evil spirit really come from God?  Or should this be translated like "The Message" where it says, "an ugly mood was sent by God..."  "Evil spirit" can also be translated as "injurious" (NIV).  


Without getting lost in this interpretation of the wording, what I believe God is revealing here is that He's in control of the spiritual realm.  


But what's the relationship between the spiritual and physical?  Was it through God's command that made Saul evil or was it the physical realm, Saul's fleshly sin, that invited God's torment?  Kind of feels like the chicken or the egg routine, doesn't it?  


I'm reflecting back to the Pharaoh in Egypt and the plagues; how God hardened his heart.  Does God really make someone hardened or evil?  I don't believe so; that's not the God who came in flesh to die for our sins.  So what do we make of this?  I believe that it's what we let in.  Matthew 6:22-23 states that "the eye is the lamp to the body" and that it's what you let in that becomes you.  So if you let in light you will be in God's desire; let in darkness and you will become self-serving.  


There's a spiritual battle going on right here, right now.  And our bodies & soul are subject to this influence, that's why we're told in Ephesians to "put on the full armor of God."  When the "evil spirit" came upon Saul, I'm led to believe that God allowed it to happen.  Another example of this is how God "allowed" Satan to inflict hardship on Job.  It's not God's character to punish His created but He allows things to happen for a greater good, an eternal purpose.


Bad things happen, to good and bad people.  We confuse bad events and tragedies for punishment sometimes; the Pharisees did this all the time whenever someone was physically sick.  I need to remember that God's grace covers us all and that no matter what someone has done there's always hope. God doesn't love them any less why do I?  


I need to practice love in ways I'm unfamiliar.  Just last night there was a transformation in my heart directed to a particular person I don't really know.  A cloud of uncertainty hovered over my heart and I, in a certain way, wrote them off in a negative way.  But that changed very quickly and it took nothing more than allowing God to work in me.  All I did was keep the book open without writing the concluding statements... God filled it in.


Thank You Father God for all Your wonderful miracles and mercies.  People tell me all the time about my patience and stuff but I'm not where I need to be.  You will always humble and stretch me; I thank You so much for all You do.  I pray that I'm never content where I am but at the same time, encouraged that I'm where I'm supposed to be today.  I love You with all my heart, Amen!