Does God ever punish people for their sins? Have you ever heard someone say, “God will get them for that?” You must understand that because God is perfect justice, He CANNOT punish anyone for their sins! If He did, He would be guilty of punishing twice for the same sin, which would not be fair. The Word of God tells us that Jesus paid the price for ALL sin on the cross!

But as believers, we can be subject to DISCIPLINE from God. Sometimes God will discipline you, but we should learn to appreciate it, not be upset about it.

Hebrews 12:5-11

5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, (This applies ONLY to believers – children of God)

"MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,

NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; (Don’t take it too lightly, but don’t take it too hard either, because..)

6 FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,

AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."

Notice the writer says EVERY SON. You will be disciplined by God at some point in your life. Every believer needs to be corrected, and put back on the path that God has for your life.

7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

If God never disciplines you, then maybe you’re not really His son! How do you deal with your children? Do you ever discipline them? Of course! I love how this analogy continues:

9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.

I’m sure there are times (and my children would certainly agree) when I think the discipline is the right thing for my child, and it seems best to me, but it may not be exactly the right thing. God always knows exactly what discipline is best for our ultimate good, so that we can share in all the blessings that He has for us.

11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

I know it hurts! Do you know the exact discipline that will get your children’s attention? Imagine how much God knows exactly what discipline to give you! But, just like I’ve said to my children, you will appreciate it later! When God disciplines His children, it is for the purpose of training, so that we can have that peaceful fruit of righteousness in our lives. The key to living through the discipline of God is to recognize that He is our all-knowing Father, who always has our best interest in mind.

When you go through suffering, first check to see if it may be discipline from God. Have I gotten away from the plan of God? Is the suffering there to turn me back to God? That is always His goal with His children! So when you recognize it, appreciate it for what it is – God looking out for you.