Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV)
Without Regret
Millions of Canadians are house poor, according to the latest survey data. 32% of Canadians who own a home claim to be “house poor.” This is when a household devotes so much of their income to housing, they can’t afford much else. Additionally, the survey found a fifth of homeowners said they regret their purchase. This is due entirely to the financial impact, and not because of the kitchen tile. All in, the firm estimates 5.5 million Canadians are vulnerable to financial shock.
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None of us like sorrow. We would rather not have to deal with anything that makes us sad. In the Christian life we usually speak about the joy and peace that is offered to us in our relationship with Jesus Christ. And there is much joy and peace in Him. But first there must be sorrow. What do I mean by that? Listen to what the apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 7:10: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” What Paul is saying here is that there are two kinds of sorrow. Worldly sorrow is that which comes when we’ve been caught for doing something wrong, or we regret hurting someone else. Sadly, it doesn’t usually bring about a change in heart or in action – we go right back to the same actions and we live with the regret over and over again. Godly sorrow, however, leads to repentance – a 180 degree change in how we are living our lives. It leads to faith in Jesus Christ, and a whole new nature. Allow your sorrow to lead to repentance and faith in Jesus – He will change your life.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley