Why Does Your God Punish People?

[Snickerdoodle]

Without trying to derail, isn't it hard for a theist to know what is 'discipline' and what is just 'stuff happens'?
And also, trying to reconcile who is punished with who is not?
Assuming (just for expediency) that these are difficult things to know, would God making his disciplines and judgements more clear also means we were more able to grow and mature?

This is why I tend to think more in terms of

1. Laws of cause and effect (or laws of conseqences) that God has set up in this world...bad things generally have harmful consequences, while good things generally have pleasant consequences.

and 2. Authority structures in this world that God has set up as well. Government, Church, family, etc.

I know this sounds somewhat deistic...however, there are aspects of my theology that have God being more interactive with mankind.