For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.
Into the Text
Have you ever stopped to contemplate the vastness of God’s character? He can possess both wrath and mercy, justice and compassion, and offer them perfectly. God can look at our sin and hate it, but also offer us mercy and desire that we would repent and turn to Him.
Since Creation, God has made Himself known. He has displayed His character and love through creation, His people, and Himself. Though He is holy and cannot be near sin, He has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him. He desires that all would repent and turn to Him.
When we are believers in Christ, we have the Holy Spirit in us. When we sin, we experience godly sadness. This sadness is not condemnation but is intended to lead us back to God. The purpose is both to show us that we need God and to lead us to repent and turn to Him.Â
Often, that sadness can be brought about when we recognize God’s kindness. Yes, there are times when God will allow us to experience the consequences of our sins, natural or otherwise. But God’s kindness is what often leads us to repent. When we see and understand how much God loves us, we are moved to repent from our sins and follow Him.Â
God’s desire for us is to recognize our need for Him and to repent. That repentance leads first to salvation, and then continual sanctification for the rest of our lives. Whenever we experience sadness and sorrow over our sin, may we recognize it as a mercy from God intended to bring us to repentance. May we turn away from our sin and toward Him so He can replace our sorrow with true joy.Â