Godly vs Worldly Sorrow

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

Sorrow

Regrets

For things done wrong

Decisions foolishly made

Deeds done 

Time has gone by

We cannot go back and make changes

What is done is done

A-a-h

Regrets

Self-flagellation

Self-condemnation

Mind churning

Preoccupation

Restless nights

Who can save us from ourselves

Who can undo the wrongs we have done

We cry to ourselves

We cry out for help

But wait:

Therefore there is now no condemnation 

for those who are in Christ Jesus

For the law of the spirit 

Has set us free

From the law of sin and death

Jesus has paid the price for our

Selfish intentions

Bad decisions

Wrongful acts

How gentle the Holy Spirit Who sees us

Our intentions

Our mixed motives

Our self-indulgence

Our decisions

Our actions 

Our acting out behaviors

Even what we do in secret

He sees us just as who we are

And accepts and loves us 

He is ever patient with us

He embraces us sin and all

Out of His full and unconditional love

The Holy Spirit taps our shoulder 

GENTLY

And calls our attention 

Encouraging us to make a different decision

We respond in repentance

Making that 180-degree turn

Which leads us to reconcile with God

The shame we felt from our sin is now gone

For the Holy Spirit does not condemn

He has already forgiven us

He calls us back to Himself

Back into relationship

Where there is no shame

No need to hide

For there is full forgiveness

Total love

Absolute acceptance

Even in the midst of our sin

As for our regrets

There is no longer any

Nope not one

None needed

For the Person we have offended

Has already forgiven us

He has paid for the cost of our offense

Even the offense done against Him

With love He calls us back to Him

Back into relationship with Him

Back to His bosom

Where there is 

Full acceptance

Full forgiveness

Total 

Absolute

Love

Now that is godly sorrow 

There is repentance

Reconciliation of relationship

But no regret

For there is no room for it

No need

None

Worldly sorrow however

Is condemnation

 And accusation 

From the pit of hell

Satan

Father of lies

Who wants us to hide in shame

Withdraw ourself from 

God

 

The very One Who 

Forgives

Loves 

Accepts

Receives 

Us back 

To Himself

What will you choose

Who will you choose

The God of Forgiveness Who 

Sees us

Knows us

Yet He accepts

Forgives and 

Loves us

Or 

The Father or Lies

Who condemns us

So we would withdraw from God

And play right into his schemes

To breaking off of relationship with God

And live in the pit of 

Self-condemnation

Regret

Sorrow

Alienation

Pity

Death

"How Can It Be" - Lauren Daigle

"We Are Forgiven" - Elevation Worship

"Thank You Jesus for the Blood" - Charity Gayle

Know The Enemy During The Pandemic

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” – I Peter 5:8

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” – John 10:10

"Woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short" - Revelation 12:12b

Know our enemy so we can know what to expect

And be armed

Equipped to do battle

For we are in a spiritual battle

Especially during this pandemic

For Satan is whom he is

Prowling around like a roaring lion

Seeking to steal

Kill

Destroy

And to ensnare as many as he can

For he knows his time is short

Before the pandemic

Poor communication with our significant others

Idiosyncrasies annoying to us

Patterns of behavior of our loved ones we did not like

During the pandemic

Communication breaks down to nil or assumptions being made

Idiosyncrasies are blaringly irksome to us

We find ourselves quick to assign negative motivations to behaviors

Quarantine life makes us feel

Bored

Restless

Listless

Stifled

Pent-up

Fed-up

Angry

Walls closed in

Shut down

Depressed

Desire to isolate

To break out

To act out

To take out

our anger and frustration

This death-drive of not being able to live normally has contributed to

Patience gone

Tempers flare

Unforgiveness rampant

We become stubborn and recalcitrant

Ready to fight to syphon off our pent-up anger and frustration

Patience to better communicate is gone

Peaceful protests turn into riots

Playing right into Satan’s hands and schemes

To steal

To kill

To destroy

To turn husband and wife against one another

To turn family members against each other

To turn the protector into the aggressor

To turn the powerful into the oppressor

To turn temperance into exaggeration

To turn tolerance into hatred

To turn society into chaos

But we are not unaware of this spiritual battle

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood

But against the rulers

Against the authorities

Against the powers of this dark world 

Against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms

Therefore

Put on the Full Armor of God

So that we may be able to stand

Stand against the evil schemes of the Enemy

Stand together

Stand with one another

Stand side by side

With linked arms

Not fists

With tender hearts toward one another

Not iron hearted toward each other

May we go down on our knees

In humility

In repentance

In forgiveness

To seek God’s forgiveness for our wrongs

To forgive those who have wronged us

To forgive ourselves for our wrongful acts

To humble ourselves

So that God may lift us up

And to embrace the “Life Drive”

To have life abundantly

Through Jesus and what He has accomplished for us on the cross

Our punishment in His body on the cross

Our sins forgiven and washed

Our stains cleansed

Death turned into life

Life abundant

For Jesus has come to give us

Life

Abundant life

Despite the quarantine

Despite the circumstances around us

LIVE

Life

Fully

In Jesus

Through Jesus

BE His witness

BE His voice to speak up against wrongs and to admit our wrongs

BE His heart to grieve wrongs done by us and by others

BE His arms in embracing others

BE His hands to reach out to others

BE His feet to go reconcile with others

BE the bridge between all opposing parties

Starting in our family

Then in our neighborhood

And in our community

That the Name of Jesus might be lifted up

As a shining beacon

In this dark and depraved world

May His Kingdom come

May His Will be done

On earth

As it is in Heaven

Even in the midst of this pandemic

 Especially during this pandemic