"God is punishing her for rebellion, and I have to watch her suffer."
How it sounds in your head: She walked away from everything we taught her, and now she's reaping the consequences. Maybe this is God's discipline—letting her hit bottom so she'll learn. It breaks my heart to watch, but maybe I'm not supposed to intervene because God is teaching her a lesson.
"For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men."
-- Lamentations 3:31-33Old Covenant punishment theology that doesn't account for the cross, making God the author of her suffering.
Proverbs and Deuteronomy talk about consequences for sin, and church teaching often frames suffering as God's discipline. When bad things happen after bad choices, it feels like divine punishment, and interfering seems like getting in God's way.
Jonah deliberately ran from God, bought a ticket in the opposite direction, and got thrown into the sea in a storm he caused. God sent a fish—not to punish but to RESCUE and give him another chance. From the belly of death, Jonah prayed, and God gave him a do-over instantly.
I REFUSE the lie that God is punishing my daughter and I must watch her suffer. IT IS WRITTEN that God does NOT afflict willingly nor grieve His children. The cross took ALL punishment; there is NO condemnation for those Christ died for. IT IS WRITTEN that God sent Jesus to SAVE, not condemn. Even Jonah's rebellion ended in a RESCUE fish, not a punishment. My daughter is covered by blood that speaks MERCY, and I declare divine INTERRUPTIONS that redirect her path and bring her HOME!
The Father isn't watching her suffer with arms crossed saying 'I told you so.' He's running interference, sending rescue boats in the form of people and circumstances you'll never know about, whispering her name in the night, and positioning the FISH that will turn her story around at the exact right moment.