What Does "Sorry" Mean Anyways?
2 Corinthians 7:8-10
8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
So often we can "I'm sorry", but sometimes it is not really sincere. We just want to avoid a conflict or confrontation. Some people say sorry for everything as if everything is their fault. It is a deep seated insecurity that when something goes wrong, they think they are to blame.
Sometimes sorry is a deep regret that we didn't do something we should have. As we look back at the consequences for our inaction, we feel a deep sense of loss at what could have been.
But today Paul talks about a different kind of sorrow. He calls it "godly sorrow". This is when we realize how what we have done has deeply offended God. Notice it is not just emotional, but leads to repentance. Godly sorrow leads to a change of behavior. Paul's letter to the Corinthians pointed out some things they had done wrong. While it was not easy for Paul to confront the church he loved, in the end it created godly sorrow and then repentance. Ultimately that repentance led to salvation. Salvation in the sense of deliverance or healing from their sin.
When we truly understand who God is, and what Jesus has done for us on the cross, we can have a sense of godly sorrow. How do you allow others to speak into your life? When have you felt godly sorrow? What did it cause in you? Is there anything in your life that should be causing godly sorrow? If so confess it, repent and experience God's salvation.
8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
So often we can "I'm sorry", but sometimes it is not really sincere. We just want to avoid a conflict or confrontation. Some people say sorry for everything as if everything is their fault. It is a deep seated insecurity that when something goes wrong, they think they are to blame.
Sometimes sorry is a deep regret that we didn't do something we should have. As we look back at the consequences for our inaction, we feel a deep sense of loss at what could have been.
But today Paul talks about a different kind of sorrow. He calls it "godly sorrow". This is when we realize how what we have done has deeply offended God. Notice it is not just emotional, but leads to repentance. Godly sorrow leads to a change of behavior. Paul's letter to the Corinthians pointed out some things they had done wrong. While it was not easy for Paul to confront the church he loved, in the end it created godly sorrow and then repentance. Ultimately that repentance led to salvation. Salvation in the sense of deliverance or healing from their sin.
When we truly understand who God is, and what Jesus has done for us on the cross, we can have a sense of godly sorrow. How do you allow others to speak into your life? When have you felt godly sorrow? What did it cause in you? Is there anything in your life that should be causing godly sorrow? If so confess it, repent and experience God's salvation.
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