Day 6—Repentance, Part 2

2 Corinthians 7:10 (ESV)
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

True repentance is so important that we’re giving it a second day of focus.

In the verse above Paul refers to two kinds of grief that leads to two very different results. “Godly grief” leads a person to true repentance that results in salvation and life in its fullest. But worldly grief leads to a false repentance, if any at all, and eventually results in death. To understand the difference between the two, let’s start with something that’s very common—worldly grief.

Worldly grief is the pain and distress felt when the consequences of sin begin to mount. It could be that the pleasure of sexual sin has resulted in the pain of divorce, disease, the loss of spouse and children, or perhaps even a career. Or financial mismanagement has resulted in suffocating debt and the loss of things precious to you. Or what were once little indiscretions in business that no one would notice have now brought legal charges. 

A feeling of grief and remorse is normal to everyone who has been “caught” in their sin. They may even attempt to change their behavior. But the problem occurs when this remorse for being caught is mistaken for a true change of heart and biblical repentance. It’s merely the “worldy sorrow” that Paul talked about, and it will still result in death—death to a marriage, a family, a career, a ministry, or even physical death.

But godly sorrow goes much deeper than that.  Godly sorrow occurs when the light of God’s truth illuminates the wrong of our thoughts and actions, and the Holy Spirit brings about a brokenness and conviction. The  person grieves over more than the consequences they’ll suffer—they grieve over the pain they’ve caused God, their family, and their friends. In the light of the Holy Spirit the person doesn’t just grieve over what they’ve done, they grieve over who they are! And they want to be a new person headed in a new direction. This repentance will lead to true freedom and life in its fullest!

Take your prayer even deeper today, and have the courage to ask God to not only to reveal sin in your life, but to bring a brokenness and deep conviction.  Don’t stop at worldly sorrow over consequences. Pray for godly grief over your sin that leads to salvation and life and freedom!

Joel 2:12–13 (NIV84)
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.