Yesterday, in Elder's Quorum, we learned about the consequences of transgression, and specifically the purpose of the consequences of transgression. Simply put, when we do what's wrong, God lets us know that it's the wrong thing to do, not to punish us, but to correct our behavior. One important thing I was reminded of yesterday was that all God does, He does for our benefit, and that includes allowing us to suffer the consequences of our actions.
Understanding the purpose of the consequences of transgression requires an understanding of the purpose of the commandments we transgress. God loves us. He desires our ultimate happiness, not just the short-term happiness that we sometimes seek. God also knows what choices we face, and what the short- and long-term effects of those choices will be. Because He wants us to make wise decisions, He sometimes tells us which paths we should take or what principles we should follow. After that, it's up to us. When we follow God's counsel and commandments, we're blessed, either by a natural result of the choice we made, or with special blessings from God. When we disobey God, we get the opposite, either the natural consequences of a foolish choice or a measure of discipline from the One who is trying hardest to help us.
When we disregard God's counsel, we set ourselves up for failure and misery. God would prefer that we avoid that misery because He doesn't want us to suffer any more than we have to. But if a short period of suffering the consequences of transgression will help us to live more righteously, and thus steer ourselves back in the direction of ultimate happiness, then the pain will have been worth it in the long run, and I personally think that we'll scarcely remember it when we get to heaven, perhaps only remembering the lesson it taught us.
God is not a sadist, nor is He bossy. His commandments aren't to control us, but to protect us from our own ignorance and foolishness and to guide us according to His infinite wisdom and goodness. He really does want us to be happy, but if our choices are leading us to misery, He'd rather let us take the misery now in hopes that it will help us to change our ways rather than leaving us to our own devices and letting us suffer for it later down the road. As an Eternal being, God is a long-term planner, which we, as mortals, are not. While we might avoid any immediate pain or discomfort like our lives depended on it, He knows that sometimes a short period of suffering is needed to bring about a greater period of joy. God has planned an eternity of joy planned for those who consent to follow Him to it, and a lifetime of persuasive arguments in store for those who don't.
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