Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. – 2 Corinthians 7:10
Sometimes we feel sorry for our mistakes, but there’s a big difference between the kind of sorrow that leads us closer to God and the kind that pulls us away. In his second letter to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul noted that there are two types of sorrow: godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.
Godly sorrow is when we recognize that our actions have hurt our relationship with God and it moves us to change course. It goes deeper than just feeling bad about it; it compels us to make things right. It leads to genuine, heartfelt repentance – a complete 180º turn from sinful behavior. We don’t keep beating ourselves up over it or staying stuck in guilt. Quite the opposite, actually. Godly sorrow brings forgiveness, growth, and salvation. It leaves no regret because it draws us closer to God’s grace.
Worldly sorrow, on the other hand, doesn’t lead to change. It’s feeling bad because of the consequences, or because we got caught and injured our pride. This kind of sorrow leads to despair, shame, and even spiritual death because it doesn’t push us to turn back to God. We stay stuck in regret and self-pity.
When you feel sorrow for your sins, is it leading you to grow, change, and seek God more deeply? Or are you stuck in this superficial sorrow that leaves you feeling more bitter than genuine remorse? The Bible tells us that our sin causes God to be sad (Isaiah 63:10; Ephesians 4:30). Can the same be said of us?
Let Godly sorrow work in your heart, and let it lead you to repentance that brings life, freedom, and the joy of God’s grace and salvation.
Former Blackout Artist 