Friday, November 23, 2007

Godly Sorrow

This afternoon, we went to my grandparents house. Dad had good conversations with both his dad and his younger sister regarding the gospel. It is hard to not be pushy with the gospel, and yet present it clearly. I would say this was more on the pushy end, but I think it was definitely good. We do not know how long we will live. Sharing the gospel is an urgent thing. I am thankful for his example of boldness. My aunt seems like she has a lot of beliefs mixed together. I don't think she really knows what she believes. I am praying that God will unveil her eyes to the truth of the gospel, and close her eyes to the false doctrines that she has heard. They wanted to hear the songs that we did at the memorial service, so I played/sang those for them. While giving me a compliment, my aunt said something like, "If you made that song secular, you could make a lot of money." I think she saw my weird expression and so she said, "I mean, your lyrics were awesome too." I didn't really respond because timing wasn't good, but I was dying to tell her that I don't play songs because I want to get money; I play songs because they worship God. Anyway, I think it went pretty well.

I was reading in 2 Corinthians 7 today and the concept of godly sorrow caught my attention.
8 For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it--for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while--
9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.
10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.

I pray that God would penetrate my heart with His Word like He did with the Corinthians. I don't ever want to become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin like Hebrews says. I want to have this godly sorrow so that I would hate the things that are wrong, and love righteousness with passion.

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