2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

Many translations use “sorrow” in this verse, but some use “grief,” which is much stronger. Grief is a strange thing. It seems entirely negative, and indeed, there will be no more grief in heaven, but at the same time, the right sort of grief works good things in us. It is a very powerful emotion, as anyone who has lost someone close to them can testify. I can hardly imagine what Erika Kirk has gone through and is still going through, because grief of that magnitude certainly doesn’t disappear overnight. However, she is channeling her grief wisely, as best I can see from this considerable distance, to energize her in continuing the work that Charlie started. However, her sort of grief is distinctly different from what Paul is talking about here, because she had no part in causing the circumstances that triggered her grief. What Paul is talking about is the sort of grief that comes from our own actions, as in “He brought a lot of grief on himself.” Sin very naturally brings grief, because it is a violation of God’s will for us, and He always wills the very best for us. That’s why there’s no grief in heaven: there is no sin there. Godly grief, as Paul calls it here, is when we realize we have sinned and genuinely regret it. In our foolishness, we all too often don’t regret sin, but rather revel in it. I’ve seen a t-shirt that says, “That’s a terrible idea. What time?” That’s amusing, but it can mask a horrible attitude toward sin. When we have blown it, we should indeed feel grief that we have done so, and as Paul says here, let it propel us to repentance that will get us right with God and keep us from committing that sin again in the future.

I’m not sure that I have felt sufficient grief for some of the sins I’ve committed, because my repentance was shallow at best. I need to let that awareness govern my response to those around me, because as a pastor, others are watching me and getting cues from me as to how they should act and be. In the case of grief from loss, such as Erika Kirk is experiencing, I am to be an open channel for God’s comforting Spirit. However, in the case of grief over sin, I’m not to gloss it over, but rather allow the Holy Spirit to use it to grow the individual and make them more Christlike. I am to forgive people and help them receive God’s forgiveness, emotionally as well as in objective fact, but I’m not to gloss over sin, essentially giving permission for it. There are far too many people who mistakenly think that’s the loving thing to do. Genuine repentance produces changed behavior, and I’m to encourage that in love, with God’s wisdom.

Father, thank You for this Word. Help me respond to sorrow/grief as You want me to, in myself and in others, so that You will be able to turn every negative into blessing, as only You can do, (Romans 8:28) for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!