Are there any benefits that come from the consequences of sin?

Psalm 25:18Feel my pain and see my trouble. Forgive all my sins.

God uses the consequences of sin to draw you back to repentance and a relationship with him. He is not just trying to punish you or get even with you. When trouble strikes, search your heart to see if the problem might be a result of your own wrongdoing. If it is, confess your wrong and ask God’s help in dealing with it. If it isn’t, you still have the benefit of drawing closer to God during a time of difficulty.

Hebrews 12:5-8Have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.

God promises forgiveness when you repent, but he also allows you to experience the consequences of your sins because they serve as training and guidance. Like a loving father teaching his children, so God teaches us. He knows that sometimes the best training is learning the hard way.