Don't know if you are a Christian, not that it really matters, but you asked whether God would really use 'bad' things for 'good' purposes.
I would just say look at the Prodigal Son story. The son walked away from his father, taking his inheritance $$ with him.
Yep he lived it up pretty good, food, wine, women, etc.
Guess what? He didn't have an epiphany one day, "Gee, I am eating,drinking, enjoying the ladies, I should probably go back home to my father's house."
Nope didn't work that way.
It wasn't until he was literally eating slop with the pigs that he realized, he had it pretty good at Dad's place.
So yes, it would be preferable in our fantasies if they came running for no particular reason except their undying love and devotion. But it doesn't always happen like that!
