Life-Producing Sorrow

Posted on by Jennifer Arimborgo

Tears

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

There is a place for sorrow over our sins. However, God carefully differentiates between the right kind of sorrow and the wrong kind of sorrow. He lays out that extremely vital distinction in this verse.

Consider this example from your own intimate relationships:

When someone close to your heart has hurt you in a significant way, do you want them to be sorry that they upset you? Of course you do. When he or she voices true, heartfelt remorse about having caused you pain, that sincere expression of care brings healing to the wound. This is a good way to understand the concept of “godly grief” that Holy Spirit is highlighting here.

Godly grief means that we are genuinely sorry that we caused damage to our close fellowship with God through our actions. When we express our pain over having grieved Him, it brings healing to our communion with Him.

Here’s something else that’s vitally important here. Reflecting on the example of our own interpersonal relationships, we will realize that godly grief has a temporary role to play. Once we have forgiven our repentant loved one from the heart, we allow God to wipe away the offense as if it never happened.

Completed reconciliation means that the moment for godly sorrow has passed. You wouldn’t want that person that you so cherish bowed down under never-ending guilt and anguish over having hurt you. You want that individual to forgive him or herself just as you have forgiven them. Full healing means that all of the pain has been washed away from both of you.

This is where we can understand the concept of “worldly grief” better. Worldly grief would be that never-ending sorrow, that lack of completed reconciliation and healing. This is not what Daddy God wants for us. As soon as we have repented genuinely of our transgressions, He longs to wash over us with His comprehensive forgiveness, cleansing, and redemption. He can’t stand for any separation to remain between us and Him! He bids us to come quickly into His waiting, open arms.

His heart towards any child of His in their failings is beautifully conveyed in 2 Corinthians 2:7-8:

“So you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him” (ESV).

Yes, there is place for godly sorrow over our wrongdoing. But let this sorrow drive us immediately into Daddy’s embrace. Let it urge us to receive His absolute, unconditional forgiveness, without causing Him the further grief of distance from us. Jesus’ blood instantly purifies us through and through. Our intimacy with His heart is fully restored. He remembers our sins no more. As a result, the wholehearted repentance that godly sorrow produces leaves no regret.

Don’t give room in your life to excessive sorrow over your failings. Daddy God forgives and comforts you, even right now. Looking into your eyes, He passionately reaffirms His everlasting love for you. Let Him hold you close and wash the past completely away…

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Have you ever pondered on the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow?

 

61 thoughts on “Life-Producing Sorrow”

  1. Yes, Daddy God is grieved when we continue to condemn ourselves for what He has already paid for. We are forgiven and free. “As far as east is from west, so has He removed our transgressions. “ Ps 103

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    2. I was reading that verse yesterday…that God wipes away our tears. It really does help us in our sorrow to know someone else feels compassion for us in our pain. It gives us strength to continue on in life!

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      1. Yes, Jesus came to break our chains! He ate with sinners, he forgave the woman caught in adultery. He showed such mercy and compassion to those the world abused and condemned. No wonder we love him!

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    2. Yes, being shamed is the tactical goal of our enemy, satan. He would love to keep us in mental chains of unworthiness; producing ineffectiveness in sharing our faith. Don’t you know how much He rejoices when he succeeds in his plans? Praise God that he is a defeated foe! His days are numbered!

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      2. Amen! Just a matter of time when Jesus will place our enemy under our feet. We can rejoice to look ahead and see that we will one day be free of His tyranny. What a day, to be FREE!

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      2. Yes, I have also. How wonderful to know that when God forgives us, he will not continue to hold our mistakes over our heads. He is perfect; he forgives perfectly!

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      4. Off topic, but the strangest thing, every comment I make here shows up in my email. I am trying to turn off feature, but cannot locate the button to disengage. Suggestions, friends?

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  8. Repentance true sorrow where genuine hearts desire to be cleansed of the sin enables forgiveness and reconciliation to become possible. With God it is absolute! With human beings it is more gradual.
    Expecting ‘compensation’ or something only fuels the sins. True REPENTANCE is a turning away and walking into a NEW WAY. If this is a human bonding like a marriage ‘messed up indeed can be the intimate bonds’. BUT repentance can open the door for a NEW BEGINNING but………and this is the hard bit…….True FORGIVENESS enable all trust issues, memories of what was done said or ++++++++
    are ‘killed’ in the mind. Gone FOREVER! impossible for human folk in the natural but if God is involved He ALONE can guide the pathway into this NEW WAY. The Past must to totally given to the PAST and the way forward must not drag the issue of the past with it. (I am not just speaking words here….I kNOW because I KNOW.
    Perhaps not deeply personally but certainly in my family and folk I have cared about).

    t

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      1. Yes, Jennifer, you right. When I start to wonder if God is able to fix the messes in my life, I just look up at the moon and stars are remind myself that NOTHING is too hard for Him.!

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    3. Faye, you are right. Forgiveness releases our anger and resentment towards our loved one, and instead we feel compassion for their regret for sin. Haven’t we all done something that we cringe to think about? Isn’t it great to know Jesus knows we want to be rid of the remembrance of our sin? He forgives, and welcomes us with open arms!

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  9. Reblogged this on Mitch Teemley and commented:
    My Featured Blogger this week is Jennifer Arimborgo, creator of the site Feeding on Jesus. In the book Amazon Missionary Moments: Memoir of a Poured Out Life, Jennifer writes about her 20+ years work in the Amazon Jungle, where she still serves alongside her husband Israel.

    Jennifer blogs about crucial spiritual concerns, including, among other topics, deep healing prayer, prophecy and intercession. She’ll challenge you to your core.

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