2 Corinthians 7:2-16

Be Still: Heavenly Father, please come and speak to me now and let me know your loving presence with me. Amen

Read: 2 Corinthians 7:2-16

'Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.' (v 10)

Encounter: As a small child, I decided that my parents’ lounge wallpaper needed a little more colour in it. For a short moment my big blue crayon seemed the perfect answer and the wobbly blue lines under the windowsill appeared quickly and decisively. However, I very soon discovered that this new design was not entirely appreciated by those around me. While I contemplated both the beginning and the end of my career as an interior designer, it was also evident by the (gentle but firm!) well-earned rebuke that I had made a wrong choice. Lesson learned.

In today’s passage Paul shows us the difference between ‘godly’ and ‘worldly’ sorrow. Worldly sorrow, or the realisation we have made a bad choice, produces regret in us which focusses on the sin, leads us to feel bad about it, wallow in it and ultimately leaves us in a place of shame which causes us to hide away from others and from God.

Godly sorrow on the other hand leads to repentance, which leads to transformation, hope and life. Godly grief leads us to an acknowledgement and confession of our wrong to an incredible grace-filled and forgiving Father.

Both sorrows acknowledge the wrong – but only one can lead us into freedom.

Apply: It is not the case that followers of Jesus don’t sin anymore. We do. It’s just that we discover we can turn to Jesus in repentance, confess our sins, and are offered complete forgiveness, and freedom from them. Jesus convicts us of our sin, yes, (godly sorrow), but does not condemn us for it (worldly sorrow). As Romans 8:1 tells us: ‘There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’. Discipline or challenge is rarely fun in the moment. However, if we keep ‘short account’ with God, remembering his grace and mercy, we can experience the joy of being released and forgiven.

Devote: Take a moment to confess to God anything on your heart and mind. Allow that ‘godly sorrow’ to open the door to God’s wonderful forgiveness.