"For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them." (Ecclesiastes 9:1 KJV)
"But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames." (1 Corinthians 3:13-15 NLT)
There really are some things that we cannot be absolutely sure of; but the one thing we must not give up on, is the salvation we know that we have been given: even if we experience a time of testing or we start having doubts, based upon something said, or discouragement planted in our minds from the devil; we must never give up believing, all the way to the very end!
Now then, about this thing of feeling angry at God, or thinking He has done something to make you suffer, as if it was punishment for your recent sins; I do not think God's discipline is all about that, because He loves us more than we could ever know. Things happen, (unfortunately, a recent quote from a certain Governor, that shouldn't have been stated,) but no matter what, it is not God causing you pain or severe punishment for your sins: your sins were taken care of on the cross, once and for all!
God's discipline for us is all about making us turn towards Him, not run away. If we think that anything going on in our lives that was meant to hurt us is of God, then we will become bitter and doubting that He really loves us. Something that should never happen to a child of God!
God demonstrated His love for us by sending His one and only Son, that His Son would take the penalty for our sins; so that was the end of the punishment for sins; Christ Jesus paid that price once and for all; now we can be cleansed from sin. Does it mean that we won't have situations of difficulty or hardship; things that seem as though they are too hard to handle? Absolutely not!
It doesn't either mean we won't continue to deal with sin! As long as we are living in this world, sin will confront us, we will sin, and we will be tempted by sins. But the penalty for those sins, even those we will still commit, all ultimately paid for, each and every one. If we don't acknowledge our sinfulness or cannot bring ourselves to ask for forgiveness, God will make a way for us to see we need to repent and turn from our wicked ways.
Whatever it is that God allows for us to go through, is not to destroy us, but to give us strength and hope, even in the things that seem overwhelming and might hurt for a short while. If we don't give up, we will see everything from a completely different perspective. There is nothing more valuable than the salvation of our souls!
Every one of the disciples went through punishment and almost all of them were killed because they followed Jesus. What do we have going on in our lives that compare to that? If you truly believe in the salvation you've been given, then what can possibly take away something that cannot be take back? Yes, that is what I said; your salvation is secure in Christ forever!
Please don't think this is something about, "once saved, always saved", because if you know that you are saved, then you will not really give up; even if you wanted to, He, will not give up on you, ever...
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change or decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while." (1 Peter 1:3-6 NLT)
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