Will Allah lift the punishment once it has befallen a servant, and if so, how does He lift it?

Worldly punishments that befall due to sins are lifted by repentance and seeking forgiveness. One who repents from a sin is like one who has no sin, and he is promised a good life in this world and the hereafter, and relief and a way out from every worry and distress. Similarly, supplication lifts affliction after it has descended, for supplication is among the most beneficial remedies; it repels and alleviates affliction, and it may even prevent its descent.