Sorry, this is a word many people just can’t say. It’s admitting that we have been wrong about something. To admit I’m wrong goes against the human nature of pride. We know that pride caused Eve to take the bite of fruit that was forbidden by God. We know that pride caused Lucifer, Satan, to be cast out of Heaven. We also know that Proverbs tells us that pride goes before destruction, and yet we are still full of it! While pride is not the topic of our devotion today it does sit at the base of our problem.
Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
There are three kinds of sorrow. One is the sorrow that your action did not gain the results you wanted. This is a very selfish sorrow. Thinking only of what you desire and the pleasure you missed by not attaining your personal wants. This is like the child that wants a cookie and pouts and cries when he can’t have it.
The second kind of sorrow is the sorrow one feels when he gets caught doing something wrong. It’s a sorrow that would never be experienced if you got away with the wrong action. Many times, I can remember our children getting caught and receiving a spanking for their actions. Before the spanking they would say “Mommy, I’m sorry,” but this sorrow was about trying to avoid the consequences of their action.
Then, there is a feeling of godly sorrow. This is the sorrow that Paul was talking about in II Corinthians 7:10.
II Corinthians 7:10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
This is the kind of sorrow that yields repentance. This is a sorrow that wishes the sin had never happened. It is a sorrow that understands the sin was against God. A God that loves beyond measure and extends to man the opportunity to repent and be forgiven. This is a sorrow that brings salvation and freedom to the soul. This is what David was talking about when he said in Psalm 51:4 “against thee and thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.” David had committed adultery, murder, lying and had involved many others in his sin, but he understood ultimately, he had sinned against God. He sought repentance and God forgave.
So, how does real sorrow act? First, it recognizes and takes ownership for the wrong done. This kind of sorrow does not blame someone else for the wrong done, nor does it make excuses for the infraction. Second, the person who truly is sorry will go to God and the person that has been hurt and ask for forgiveness. It is so important that the parties involved be reconciled. It is valuable for a clear conscious, and for a good testimony to follow. Third, you must repent. To repent means to turn away from the sin. It’s a military term that means an about-face. You were going in one direction and now you are headed in the opposite direction with no intention of turning back.
Psalm 51 is one of my favorite passages because it gives us an account of David’s true repentance. The King of Israel is sick of his sin. He wants to have the freedom of feeling clean before God. It’s a soul-cleansing that can only be done by God himself.
One of the things that I think is so beautiful about true repentance is the results.
- First, in 51:12 the joy of his salvation is restored. What a miserable state we put ourselves in by indulging in acts or thoughts that are sinful. We may have happiness on the outside, but if the Holy Spirit is living within you there will be no deep-seated joy that satisfies the soul. No matter what happiness we experience during the day, when we put our head on our pillow at night the Holy Spirit will bring that sin to our minds. There will be no peace with God and your soul will feel empty.
- Second, he will be able to influence others for the cause of Christ. Verse 13 states that after repentance “sinners will be converted.” To me, that’s an awesome promise and a scary thought! The implication here is that if we don’t repent it will keep others from coming to Christ. We influence others by all that we do!
- Third, in verses 14 and 15, the joy of the heart overflows with singing. We feel so guiltless and free that our soul must express itself in singing. The last benefit I see here is in verse 19. God is satisfied with my actions. Think about that. The God of heaven is pleased and contented with me! I can think of no greater joy or peace than to know that my God is pleased with me.
When was the last time you sat and meditated on God’s word, and examined your life in light of His word? Is there anything you’ve done for which you need to express this godly sorrow? If so, don’t wait. You can’t experience the results until you express the godly sorrow for your sinful actions.
