April 18, 2018
Making It Right
Arlene Pellicane
Today’s Truth
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10, NIV).
Friend to Friend
I went to get a snack from my refrigerator and as I opened the door, the plastic jar of mayonnaise fell out. I put the mayonnaise back in the same spot, grabbed my snack and quickly shut the door.
A few hours later, I returned to the refrigerator and guess what happened? The mayonnaise fell out again but this time, the top cracked and mayonnaise splattered on the floor. As I cleaned up the mess, I wondered, “Why didn’t I move the mayonnaise to a different spot before?” I knew it was going to fall out again.
My little mayonnaise incident reminded me of how it’s easier to just get on with life and perhaps continue in sin than to change. It required effort to find another spot in the fridge for the mayonnaise and I was in a hurry. But eventually, there would be a price to pay for my neglect.
Sin starts out small. It advances stealthily in increments. For example, most people never intend to have an affair. It just starts with a conversation in the break room with a co-worker. You bump into each other a few days later and before you know it, you’re looking forward to your next encounter. You might choose to carpool to a work event – after all, there will be other people in the car. Then you decide to grab a cup of coffee together.
Right when we sense we’ve crossed the line into sin, we must stop and express sorrow to God. If we continue on our course of sin, we will experience the sorrow of the world which leads to death. There’s a different kind of sorrow that’s much better – godly sorrow. Today’s verse says godly sorrow brings repentance – a change – that leads to salvation and leaves no regret.
Repentance is preceded by sorrow. When we sin, we ought to feel distress. We can pray “Lord make me sensitive and aware when I sin against You.” These kinds of prayers can help us avoid many collisions caused by sin, leading to a heart full of regret.
God stands ready to pour out His grace on us. Christ died so our sin won’t wreck us. It can instead of the opposite effect. 2 Corinthians 7:11 (NLT) continues to say “Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.”
You can make things right before God and with others. It begins with humility, godly sorrow and repentance.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, search my heart and know my thoughts. Help me turn from my wicked ways. Reveal to me any areas of sin that I need to confess and repent of. Thank you that godly sorrow leads to repentance and salvation.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Spend a few moments silently before God. Quiet your heart and ask Him to show you any areas of sin in your life. Be ready to repent and change anything that needs to change in order to know God better.
More from the Girlfriends
If you have children, do you find yourself easily losing your temper with them? Learn how to be more patient and less frustrated in Arlene’s book 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom.
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Originally published Wednesday, 18 April 2018.
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