The Two Types of Sorrow-Devotional

The Two Types of Sorrow: Godly Sorrow and the Sorrow which Leads to Death.

                                            Written by Naomi Olivier on approximately 9/8/18

                                      

When I was in my early teens, I had a vibrant, growing relationship with Jesus.   Whenever He revealed to me sins in my life, I quickly owned up to them, without self-justification, and sought to understand and live His will.

  By the time I’d reached my late teens, however, things were different. I had an epiphany.You see I had come to realize through further study of God’s Word , beginning during my late teens, that my actions reap consequences in the lives of others. As a result, while I believed that God forgave me of my sins, I struggled to let go of guilt because of the haunting thought that filled my mind: That person might be lost because of you. I was haunted by the thought that my bad interactions with others could reap dire spiritual consequences in their lives. One night, early in my experience of feeling spiritually responsible for others, I struggled to rest. I was in intense agony because I felt that I had placed a friend of mine in a spiritually unstable place. Thankfully, God prompted the person I was worrying about to email me. The next day, I read the email which stated that God had used me to be a blessing in her life. I felt comforted.

I hardly felt spiritually responsible for others during my early teens. Back then, when I would see that I had been in error, my main thoughts were for myself. I wanted to be where God wished me to be and I was sorry that my life had not been in harmony with Him. I found it easy to forgive myself because I did not feel that I was responsible for any spiritual consequences in the lives of others. After having the epiphany I did in my late teens, I am learning to accept God’s forgiveness in a new way.

During my 20^th year of life, my deep solicitude for souls, compacted and swallowed up in another spiritual struggle -which in itself would take up another article- degenerated into a works religion. I wanted to be known as a Christian so I could maintain a good, righteous reputation, look good and feel and be safe in my relationship with God, especially, and also man.

Almost every time I failed God before other people-particularly people in my secular school- I fell into despair. I began to dwell more on my despair than on my Savior.My sins seemed very great and very heavy. I tried to change my motives but I couldn’t. It was all so terrible.

God then used my parents to show me that I CAN’T change my motives. I can only choose to serve God, trusting that He will change my motives. This realization brought some relief to my soul.

After finding this Bible passage, my eyes really began to open. I will share the verses that really ministered to me. 2 Corinthians 7: 9-11 (NKJV ; emphasis supplied.)

“Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted;but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” 

This passage shows me that it isn’t even helpful for me to mull and mull and mull and mull over my failings and my fears of causing other people to loose their hold on Christ! In the process of doing so, I’m sorrowing “the sorrow of the world” which “produces death.” If I continue to loose my hold on Christ I will do even more damage in my relations with others by my continued un-Christian witness!

In contrast, if I sorrow a “godly sorrow” I will resume the journey which leads to salvation! I will continue in the process of sanctification and in so doing will become more Christ-like and therefore a shining light. I will exude a positive Christian witness as my life radiates the glory of God everywhere I go.

Here is my appeal: when you fall, get up again and get up quickly. God is just waiting for you to stir, to tremblingly reach out your hand and to try to stand up. He will grab your hand and support your whole body as you rise from sin to walk with Him again. Remember this too: God loves those whom you care for more than you do! He is as ready to lift them up as He is to lift you up, and if they let Him, He will. Courage!

 Photo by Simon Matzinger from Pexels  https://www.pexels.com/photo/scenic-view-of-mountains-during-dawn-1266810/

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (Used under "Gratis Use Guidelines" https://www.harpercollinschristian.com/sales-and-rights/permissions/#1