No. Absolutely not! God does not send trials to chastise or punish you. He has a better way; however, to understand His way you need to clearly understand what the word chastise actually means.
The Greek word chastisement as translated in the New Testament means “to instruct or to train.”
Hebrews 12:7-11 says our earthly fathers chastise (or train) us according to the flesh, but our heavenly Father chastises us in our spirit because He is the Father of our spirit. Second Timothy 3:16-17 explains that He delivers that spiritual chastisement through His Word:
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
The Word! That is what God uses to train us—not trials and destructive circumstances.
Some people ask, “Well, what about those situations in the Old Testament when God sent curses on His people to teach them?”
God didn’t send those curses! The curse was already out there. It had been brought on by sin. So when the children of Israel were disobedient to God’s Word, curses automatically came upon them. God told them in Deuteronomy 28 what was available—both blessings and curses—and the conditions for receiving both. Whether they lived in the curses or in the blessings depended on the choices they made.
God never inflicted anyone with disease or anything listed under the curse. SATAN WAS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN THE ONE WHO KILLS, STEALS AND DESTROYS (see John 10:10). When a man steps out from under the protection of God, Satan attacks. BY ERROR, God has been blamed for what Satan has been doing all these years. God blesses. Satan is the one who has been looking for every opportunity to bring on the curses.
So you never have to wonder again if trials have been sent by God to correct you. He sent the Holy Spirit and His Word to do that. If you attend to the Word and yield to the Holy Spirit, the Word will keep you corrected, and you’ll be showered with the blessings of God.
Let me warn you, though. You’ll still experience trials and tests. Satan will see to that. He’ll use them to try to steal the Word from your heart. Mark 4:17-19 says he uses “persecution, afflictions, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things” to bring pressure on you and destroy your confidence in the Word of God.
Finally, remember that even when you have sinned, you don’t have to suffer God’s punishment for it by going through persecution and trials. God is a God of mercy—not punishment. That’s why He sent Jesus to the cross. Isaiah 53:5-6 says:
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
That scripture tells us that God literally places on Jesus the punishment you and I deserve. So if you have sinned, repent. Confess your sin and don’t sin anymore. Everyone stumbles and misses it from time to time. When you sin, don’t run from God. Run to Him! He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Go and sin no more.
Once you’ve received your forgiveness, take your authority over the devil. Tell him that you see through his strategy. Use the Word of God and command him in the Name of Jesus to stop in his maneuvers against you and your life. Tell him that Jesus has redeemed you from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). Ask for God’s wisdom concerning the trial you’re facing (James 1:2-5), and do what He tells you to do.
