Is God Punishing Me or Preparing Me?
Night Is Normal Part 2: Is God Punishing Me or Preparing Me?
In this episode of the Night Is Normal series, inspired by Alicia Britt Chole’s The Night Is Normal, Diana begins an honest conversation about difficult seasons of faith, spiritual exhaustion, and the quiet questions many believers carry but rarely say out loud.
Together, we talk about trusting God in the unfair, hard times we don’t understand. Learning to stand strong even when we do not feel strong, and discovering that night seasons are not proof that God is angry with us, but that God can use those difficult seasons to deepen our faith and prepare us.
If you’ve ever wondered: Is God punishing me?” Then this episode is for you.
Diana’s Notes
Hello everybody, and welcome back to part 2 in our opening conversation on Night Is Normal here on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana. This is part of our full series based on the study of Dr. Alicia Britt Chole’s book The Night Is Normal.
Last week, we began talking about the idea that night seasons are normal.
And honestly… I think one of the hardest questions we wrestle with in difficult seasons is this:
‘Is God punishing me?
But what if He is using something difficult to prepare you?”
Maybe a deeper work is being done. “God does some of His deepest work… Not in the spotlight… But in the quiet, hidden, dark places.”
Joseph’s story has always impacted me deeply. If you are not very familiar with it, I would encourage you to check it out. The story of Joseph runs all the way from Genesis chapter 37 through Genesis chapter 50.
We won’t cover the whole story of Joseph, but let’s take a look at the youthful dreams God gave him.
Genesis 37:5-7(NLT) One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly, my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”
WOW! Now, I admit, that would be a bit annoying for your little brother to tell you that. They already hated Joseph because he was their dad’s favorite. But this was just too much! They boiled in anger.
Verse 9 goes on: Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!”
When Joseph told his dad, his dad scolded him, probably thinking his young son was getting a little too big for his britches.
How would you react if God gave you a vision like Joseph? It would have had to have been unreal. His brothers were not simply annoyed with their brother. In a jealous rage, they turned on him and developed this really wicked scheme to trick their dad about Joseph’s disappearance.
Long story short, Joseph ended up being sold into slavery. Joseph endured a lot, but it only got worse.
Then the Pharaoh's wife makes her twisted sister accusations, and he gets thrown in prison for something he did not do, so he probably is beginning to think this amazing dream is becoming a nightmare!
Imagine receiving a dream from God and then watching your life completely unravel. His brothers betrayed him. He was falsely accused. Thrown into prison. I wonder how many nights Joseph sat there confused, wondering where God was.”
It would have been so easy for Joseph to allow his thoughts to override his faith and trust in the God of those dreams. Joseph may have had thoughts while waiting in prison that this Night Season was punishment. Right?
He could have easily become a victim and just rot away in a cell full of bitterness and regret because he relied on his expectations, his emotions, and not on the God who holds our expectations very dearly in His loving hands.
He knows what is in our best interest and the timing of it. Even when we do not.
Satan wants you to live a defeated life. But let’s learn what Joseph learned: “The night is not punishment. It is often preparation.”
Joseph learned to seize every opportunity God gave him. He watched God provide and protect as he walked through very difficult times.
Joseph believed, he believed in his God of those dreams and not what he was seeing with his natural eye. He looked for God’s goodness in the darkest places.
God was preparing Joseph's heart and his leadership skills.
Maybe God is waiting for each of us to be ready to enter into a new season.
Ecclesiastes 3:1: (NLT) Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.
Maybe we have been sorrowful, fearful, timid, uncomfortable , insecure, restless, maybe our expectations have been in the wrong place. Maybe we have been asking God to take something off of us, and maybe He is waiting for us to draw closer to Him, trusting He holds all our seasons. Our night seasons and our daylight seasons.
There is a verse we have been saying in the Before the Morning podcast series, it is found in Psalm 28:7. I used the Good News Translation, and it reads:
Psalm 28:7: (GNT) The LORD protects and defends me; I trust in Him. He gives me help and makes me glad; I praise Him with joyful songs.
When you feel vulnerable, remember that your LORD protects and defends you! You can trust Him - so do it! Trust Him. 🙂
Psalm 121:2:(NIV) My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Our Creator God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the One Who created everything in the entire universe, is able to help with any problem.
Do you need help?
Ask Him, cling to Him, and tell Him frequently that you need Him. He is not just your LORD, He is also your Father, and He is a tender Father towards you. He desires that your heart be glad. Let His strength be your joy -
He loves you so much that He didn’t even spare His One and Only Son.
John 3:16 -17: (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Jesus came for us. To reconcile us back to God. To pay for our healing, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. And to demonstrate a righteous way of living as citizens of heaven.
Through the cross, Jesus bridged the gap of sin to restore our broken relationship with God. Jesus Christ, who was without sin, took on the sin of the world so that humanity could be made right with God.
It is a free gift, paid for by Christ, but it is up to each of us to receive that gift.
2nd Corinthians 5:18: (NLT) And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ.
While Jesus was here on earth, He actively healed the sick, cast out demons, and comforted the brokenhearted. Jesus demonstrated God's compassion and power over suffering. And it did not end at the cross. Just like our Salvation is once and for all, so is our healing. It too has already been paid for by our Savior. God wants you fully whole while you are still here on good ole planet earth.
1 Peter 2:24: (AMP) He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed.
As believers, our citizenship transfers from here to heaven. And as new citizens, following Jesus teaches us how to live out kingdom values—like love, humility, and justice—while here on earth. We talked about this in our Kingdom Living series.
Philippians 3:20: (NLT) But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.
For those who are believers, that should be some pretty good news!
Let’s chat about FAITH VS EXPECTATION for just a moment.
“I think sometimes our expectations become louder than our faith.
We create mental roadmaps of how we think God should answer prayers.
And when life doesn’t unfold that way…
fear, disappointment, confusion, and frustration begin taking over.”
“Sometimes expectations overshadow our faith in God’s unseen answers.”
Let’s reflect on this for a minute…
“What if God sees something bigger than we can?
What if the waiting season is developing strength in us that we don’t yet understand?”
“The night may feel hidden…but hidden does not mean abandoned. God has not abandoned us.
Sometimes our roots grow deepest in dark places.
“If you’re in a difficult season today…don’t rush to label it punishment.
Maybe God is preparing something in you that can only be formed through trust.”
Remind yourself to keep holding on. Keep listening to your Shepherd’s voice. And remember…
Nothing is wrong with you. Our emotions and feelings are normal. But let’s not allow them to lead us down paths that draw our energy away from the foundation of God’s word. His word is what we stand on. Not those pesky, negative dark feelings.
Closing prayer:
Father,
Thank You for Your Word.
Thank You for the example we have in the life of Joseph and for the reminder that what looked like a setback was preparation for something greater than he could see. even in the prison, even in the waiting, and even in the confusion, You never left him, and you will never leave us.
Lord, sometimes we find ourselves asking difficult questions.
Today, Father, we choose to trust Your heart even when we do not understand Your timing.
Forgive us for the times our expectations have become greater than our faith.
Forgive us for the times we have allowed fear, disappointment, frustration, or discouragement to convince us that You have abandoned us.
Help us remember that hidden does not mean abandoned.
Help us remember that waiting does not mean forgotten.
Help us remember that difficult seasons are not punishment, but times of preparation.
Lord, for the person listening today who feels weary, strengthen them.
For the one who feels discouraged, encourage them.
For the one who feels forgotten, remind them that You see them.
For the one who feels weak, remind them that You are their strength.
Teach us to trust You more than our feelings.
Teach us to trust You more than our circumstances.
Teach us to trust You more than our own understanding.
Help us become people who stand firmly on Your Word and not on the shifting emotions of the moment.
Father, thank You that You are our protector and defender.
Thank You that our help comes from You, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Thank You for Jesus.
Thank You that You did not send Your Son into the world to condemn us, but to save us. Thank You that through Christ we have been reconciled back to You and can confidently come before You as beloved sons and daughters.
As we leave today, help us keep holding on.
Help us keep listening for our Shepherd's voice.
Help us keep trusting that You are working, even when we cannot yet see what You are doing.
And remind us once again:
Nothing is wrong with us. You are still with us. You are still leading us. And You are still good.
In Jesus' mighty name,
Amen.
This week…
Remember: Keep holding on. Keep listening for your Shepherd's voice.
And remember... Night seasons are not punishment. They are often for preparation.
If you do not already have a local church home, join us online for Sunday service at Valley Family Church! You can find that link, the notes, and Pastor Alexa’s message, A Tale of Two Kings: Surrendering the Saul in Me, and my playlist all on our website - heartfeltconversations.com
Like us & follow us on Facebook! Help us to get the Gospel of the Good News out there!
Let’s say Psalm 28:7 out loud together!
The LORD protects and defends me; I trust in him. He gives me help and makes me glad; I praise him with joyful songs.
Psalms 28:7:(Good News Translation)
I’ll see ya next time on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana!
Pastor Eric’s message:
A Tale of Two Kings: Surrendering the Saul in Me | Pastor Alexa Jones
Valley Family Church YouTube Channel for Sunday Service:
https://www.youtube.com/@ValleyFamilyChurch/streams
Heartfelt Conversations with Diana Facebook link:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583338513059
Diana’s Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkeS6qzdekMr55A_b1cG_Yv2fy_BvQ27D
Thirst Quenchers
Songs to Inspire You
TobyMac - Faithfully (Single Version)
Danny Gokey - God's Not (Official Music Video)
Foundational Encouraging Verses:
Isaiah 42:16: God’s Word Translation
I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.
Isaiah 54:10: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a light unto our path and a light unto our feet.
Isaiah 54:17: But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Isaiah 52:12: (EASY) But you will not have to hurry and run away. No, the Lord, Israel's God, will keep you safe. He will lead you at the front, and He will be your guard at the back.
Isaiah 46:10: “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times,what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’”
Matthew 7:11: So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
1 Peter 2:23 tells us - When He was insulted, He did not answer back with an insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God, the righteous Judge.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
1 Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”
The New Living Translation reads it this way: Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20: "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Now choose life."
Luke 6:37“Forgive, and you will be forgiven”.
Matthew 6:14: If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
Romans 8:31 in the AMP Bible tells us: What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?
Psalm 65:11: You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
Psalm 32:8: The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Proverbs 15:3: The Lord sees everything, whether good or bad.
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
Additional Resources:
Steven Furtick: Triggered Taking Back Your Mind in the Age of Anxiety
Beth Jones: Getting a Grip on the Basics is a great resource to help you get the basics of how vital you are to God and how good He desires to be to you
https://www.thebasicsuniversity.com
Joyce Meyer: The Mind is a Battlefield - https://joycemeyer.org
Prayer of Salvation
Jesus has given salvation, healing, and countless benefits to all who call upon His name. These benefits can be yours if you receive Him into your heart by saying this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus rose again from the dead so that I may be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a born-again child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer and the comment above were taken out of the book:
Secrets to Powerful Prayer - Discovering the Languages of the Heart
By Lynne Hammond and Patsy Cameneti
If you have just received Jesus as your Savior, please write Lynne Hammond Ministries at:
PO Box 29469
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429-2946
Or, email one of the ministries listed on the Additional Resources Tab and let them know that you are a brand-new Christian and need some direction on the next steps for your new life in Christ.
Or email us here at Heartfelt Conversations with Diana, and we will forward your information to you.
Congratulations if you are a brand new Christian or if you have Returned Home! Welcome!!! Get in God’s Word and get it into you.