2 Corinthians 7:8-10
“I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.”
Sorrow waits for us after every bad decision. Paul wrote a couple of letters to a church in Corinth that was making bad decisions. Even though one of the letters was painful for him to write, he says he’s glad he did because it caused them to repent. They changed their ways. They experienced godly sorrow which is different than worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow may still say ‘I’m sorry’ but remains selfish and refuses to repent. Godly sorrow truly grieves the harm caused to others and to God. It repents.
Respond
1. Is there a sin you’re feeling sorry about but you’re stuck in that sorrow? Take a minute now to confess it to God and ask Him to change your worldly sorrow to godly sorrow. Come up with an action plan to turn away from the sin and toward Jesus.
2. If you ever find yourself avoiding pain and sorrow, look back at these verses and see the benefits of experiencing them. God actually wants us to feel godly sorrow because He knows the benefits it brings! Godly sorrow leads us to action and produces so much in us that leads us closer to Him.