Godly Sorrow brings change

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

A few months ago, I had a friend say to me after a difficult situation she had gone through in her personal life, “Nicki, I just don’t have that godly sorrow yet.”

My heart ached for her as she cried out to God to bring this concept to her. I didn’t even know what to say back to her after she said this! I mean, after all……did I even know what it meant to experience “godly sorrow“?

There have been many times I have felt “sorrow” in my life. But had I ever allowed myself to experience what “godly sorrow” can bring your life?

No. Because honestly, I had no idea what it meant.

A few days ago, after the sudden death of our sweet friend Rashale, I opened up an old devotional book that I hadn’t looked at in some time.

The title was this, “No Regrets“.

How appropriate.

At the moment, my heart was full of sorrow for Rashales passing, her mother and the many people’s lives she had touched. My heart ached for her to experience so much more in life than death! As worldly sorrow over came me for this child, God directed my eyes to this passage of scripture in 2 Corinthians.

And what He spoke to me was this:

“My child, Godly sorrow brings change, worldly sorrow brings death.”

You see, what I wanted and what so many other’s wanted was Rashale back. We wanted her to live what we considered a “full life”. Yet even though it was hard to understand in our hearts, we know that Rashale is experiencing life fuller than ever before!

But, our hearts long for….her. And that’s ok.

However, through this type of sorrow, the longing for “her life back”, it lead me to worldly thoughts. “But God, she didn’t get to do this…….and God she missed out on this.”

Do I think these thoughts are wrong? No.

But hang with me for a second.

As I started to look at “Godly sorrow” and the fact that Godly sorrow brings change and worldly sorrow brings death, I had a choice.

Either I could hang onto my wishes for Rashales life and my wishes for her mom to hold her again and my wishes for my girls and I to be able to say good-bye… or, I could allow God to use this child to bring change to my life.

Through our sorrows we can bring death or life.

Jesus told us that He came so that we may experience life to the fullest. Not so that we can experience death. He did that for us!

Death is apart of life, but we are here to live, not die.

As I think about all the amazing people in my life every single day…..I know that each of them are put in my path to teach me something. And I know what Rashale’s purpose in my own life was to teach me that Godly sorrow brings no regrets. No Regrets.

Beth Moore wrote this quote: “Godly sorrow is a change of heart, not a wave of emotion.”

Isn’t that the truth?!

Especially after death, there are many waves of emotions. Many.

But that Godly sorrow……it never goes away. It stays with us for the rest of our lives. It takes the bad and makes it into something good.

This Godly sorrow isn’t just something we deal with when someone passes away. It’s something we can and should deal with on a daily basis. Sins and regrets can bring this amazing ability for God to use that sorrow to bring change.

What are we doing in our lives that needs to be changed? Are we just going to feel bad about it……or do something about it?

The bible tells us in Romans 8:28 that He works ALL things out for the good. ALL THINGS.

Even sin, sickness and death.

Obviously, I don’t think I can think of a better example of death bringing life than that of with Jesus Christ! (something bad for something good)

But, I’ve seen that through each of our lives, we all have this ability to bring this fuller life that Jesus continually talked about in scripture!

The girls and I and so many others will miss Rashale until we can all be together again in heaven. But I don’t want her life to mean death to me!

Just like through the death of Jesus we are able to have the most life-changing decision ever, eternal life…….I want to experience change through this little girl’s life, godly sorrow!

“Godly sorrow brings change, worldly sorrow brings death.”