For godly sorrow produces repentance leading tosalvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world producesdeath.
2 Corinthians 7:10
There is a difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow, though both are deeply felt. You can feel genuinesorrow over something you have done. Your mind can become consumedwith your failure and offense against God and others. Judas felt thiskind of sorrow. He betrayed the Son of God for thirty pieces ofsilver, the standard price of a slave. Yet his sorrow did not lead himto repent and to seek restoration with his fellow disciples, butrather to a lonely field where, in his anguish, he took his own life(Matt. 27:3–5).
Judas carried his sorrow to his grave. How differentPeter’s sorrow was! Peter, too, failed Jesus on the night of Hiscrucifixion. Peter also went out and wept bitterly (Luke 22:62). YetPeter returned to Jesus and reaffirmed his love for Him (John21:15–17). Peter was not only remorseful; he was also repentant.Peter’s life changed. There is no record of Peter ever denying hisLord again, even when he was persecuted and threatened with death.Peter repented, turned his life around, and never committed that sinagain. Don’t allow mere unhappiness over what you have done to rob youof genuine repentance. You can blame yourself and be angry withyourself for the sins you have committed, but that is not repentance.Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the gravity of your sins. Askthe Spirit to clearly show you how God views your character. When yousee your sin from God’s perspective, you will experience godly sorrow.
