Worldly Grief vs Godly Grief

"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Have you ever experienced misgivings about something you did? Like telling a lie, some not-so-wholesome thoughts, being angry at someone, getting into an argument? Maybe you just felt bad after a while when you thought about it. Maybe it made you look bad. Or maybe you were ashamed of yourself. You have a conscience. You have a standard of good behavior. Other people show you when you do things wrong. All of this can lead to grief or remorse.

Paul calls this worldly grief. It doesn't really do much good. In fact, it's pretty bad because it just gets you to try harder not to do the thing that came so naturally when you did it. It gets you to double-up your efforts to behave well.

Paul also talks about godly grief. This is holy spirit-led inner conviction that you have offended God. We may not experience this very often. It depends on God's holy spirit acting in us. We have to be receptive to the spirit's work. But the outcome of this kind of conviction is totally positive. It doesn't have that kind of guilty, self-berating, "I will do better next time" kind of self-improvement reaction we all have. Instead, it leads to a true remorse over the disappointment you have caused God your Father. And because the holy spirit has led you to this conviction, he gives you the direction to true repentance rather than self-improvement.

1. Think of a recent situation where you felt bad about what you did (thoughts, actions toward another). How did you respond when you finally felt bad about it? Was that godly grief or worldly grief?

2. Can you think of a time when the holy spirit convicted you of something that dishonored God? How did you respond?

3. How could your self-directed remorse moments become godly grief and true repentance?

-- Charlie