For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it . . . because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief. (2 Cor. 7:8-9)

The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 7:10 that “godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” There is a difference between simply feeling bad for our sin and biblical repentance.

Mere remorse comes from experiencing the shame or consequence of our sin – we feel sad for our pain. True repentance feels sorry that we have pained our God, grieving the Holy Spirit and dishonoring our witness of the Son whose sacrifice fully paid the penalty for our sin.

Remorse and regret turn inward, focusing on our pain. Repentance turns away from sin and toward the joy of God’s mercy, responding to His grace with renewed love for pleasing Him. Repentance does not intend to purchase God’s grace with our grief or by renewed obedience, but turns from sin to God with hearts melted and moved by His free grace – filled with new resolve to honor Him.

Our repentance for sin is complete when we grieve for God’s grief, rejoice in his mercy, and live in gratitude for the grace we have received and in which we can forever rest. Repentant obedience is not our ticket to grace; it is our offering of thanksgiving for it.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to express godly sorrow for my sin. Teach me to repent of the kind of repentance that tries to purchase your grace with my sorrow, and help me to honor you with the joy that is my strength – the joy that comes from receiving and resting in Jesus’ mercy for my sin.