See what this godly sorrow has produced in you

2 Corinthians 7:8-12 (TNIV) -

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.11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.12 So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.

My thoughts -

Paul had some pretty harsh things to say about them in his first letter to the church in Corinth. He referred to them as "mere infants" for their lack of maturity and claimed their pride made them "puffed up". He called them out for a number of things and I'm sure that stung a bit, especially since a big issue within this early church was a division between those who loved and were loyal to Paul and those who favored Apollos, who came after Paul. I am sure that those who loved Paul to the point of divisiveness did not enjoy Paul chastising them for it. But it was a message that they needed to hear and, if this passage is any indication, led to repentance.

To say that I "like" the idea of Godly sorrow seems maybe a little too much. Sorrow, by its very nature, isn't really something to be liked; more to be endured. But there is a lot to the idea that Godly sorrow, to be convicted of something and that conviction causing you pain, when it leads to repentance and salvation, is a very good thing.

I have been convicted of a number of things in my life. I'm not going to share all of the details here but, suffice it to say, I have not always lived life the way that I should. Sometimes my own wrong actions have caused me to suffer and then brought about this "Godly sorrow" and repentance. Sometimes I have seen how my actions have caused suffering in others and then, in conviction for that, I have repented. In either event conviction has led to repentance and to some serious changes in my life. Even when change has seemed unlikely or impossible. Even when I wanted to cling tightly to my own way and plow headfirst through life doing exactly what I knew deep down was wrong, this conviction, this "Godly sorrow" burned within me until I could stand it no longer and submitted myself to God's will.

It is no pleasant thing. There have been many sleepless nights. But salvation lies on the other side of repentance. Salvation that is not just for the life to come but for this life here and now. We are not called to be holy and righteous because God wants to test us to see if we will. It really is a better way to be. We do not follow an arbitrary set of rules dictated by a Tyrannical Ruler God but the Law of Love of a God who only wants what is best for us.

Paul had harsh words for the church in Corinth. This was no pleasant thing. It did not bring Paul or the church any joy. At least not at first. But it led to growth, maturity, repentance, and salvation. And there is a lot of joy there.

We have people who love us in our lives, or at least I know that I do and am blessed by that. Sometimes there are harsh words spoken that sting. We have a God who loves us and only wants what is best for us. That God speaks directly to our hearts and when our wills are not the same that can sting. It hurts, there's no denying it. It may seem at the time like nothing good can come from such pain and sorrow. But when we allow those words to open us up to some soul searching; when we accept that they are spoken in love and out of desire for what is best for us; when they open th door to repentance, that process, unpleasant as it may seem while it is being endured, leads to a joy that is unfathomable from the other side.

There is no pleasant way to grow that I am aware of. It hurts. But it's better after; far better than can be imagined.