Ouch! I Needed That!

FEELING PAIN! Who wants it? But who could live without it? You say you could? I say you can’t! Though we don’t like to feel pain, imagine if we were incapable of it? We would touch something hot and not realize it before being badly burned. We would touch something sharp and cut ourselves before it was realized. The pain that is felt causes us to react to the situation. Though the pain is not comfortable, being able to feel it is important. The pain brings something important into focus: the need to stop, the need to withdraw, the need to jump back, the need to give attention, etc. The same is true regarding our spiritual life. For the God trained conscience the pain of guilt tells us something is wrong and gives us the opportunity to make changes or turn away from the inappropriate behavior or direction in life.

Paul had written a letter to the church in Corinth that caused them some pain. Note what Paul said that feeling resulted in…

“(8) For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it -- though I did regret it, for I SEE THAT THAT LETTER GRIEVED YOU, though only for a while. (9) As it is, I REJOICE, not because you were grieved, but BECAUSE YOU WERE GRIEVED INTO REPENTING. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. (10) For GODLY GRIEF PRODUCES A REPENTANCE THAT LEADS TO SALVATION without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” ( 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 ESV)

Worldly grief (or sorrow, NKJV) may be: “I’m sorry I got caught, but not really for what I did.” Godly grief (or sorrow, NKJV) leaves one in a position to praise God the needed change was recognized so the proper changes could be made. With repentance comes forgiveness and thus no regret.

Thank God for the ability for PAIN’S TWINGE TO ALERT US and steer us in a safe direction. Yes, we are truly “fearfully and wonderfully made” ( Psalm 139:14).

Have a great day RESPONDING TO GOD’S WILL!
Carl

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[This focus was originally sent 05/23/1998 (Edited some with passage changed to ESV)]

See other teEn-MAIL on Repentance