Romans 2:4

Would you rather be punished immediately for every wrong thing or given time to repent and possibly escape punishment altogether? Of course, if we are given time to repent and avoid the misery of punishment, other people also deserve time to repent for their sins as well. Which is one of the reasons why we need to leave the judgment to God and let Him decide when and how they should be punished. In the meantime, though, I need to focus on my own repentance. Avoiding punishment only works if I actually repent during the time God gives me to do so. If I use that time to continue sinning, I'm increasing the punishment I deserve rather than avoiding it.