Cultivating Godly Sorrow In Your Life
Your Nightly Prayer for Dec. 19, 2024
by Lynette Kittle
TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” - 2 Corinthians 7:10
SOMETHING TO PONDER
What is the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow? How do we tell the difference between the two? At times it’s the gentle persuasion of the Holy Spirit drawing us to repentance, while at other times it’s the enemy of our souls, accusing us, seeking to condemn us. But with worldly sorrow comes condemning thoughts and regret. When it does, the Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 8:1.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
With godly sorrow, the Holy Spirit speaks to us, softening our hearts and leading us to confession of our sins and to sweet repentance, which works to free us and lift us up from despair. As James 5:16 urges,
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
Worldly sorrow is the work of the devil, pointing fingers at us, weighing us down, and bringing shame and despair to us. Revelation 12:10 reminds us how there is an accuser of the brethren, accusing us day and night before God. His constant accusations lead to regret and to us beating ourselves up, feeling hopeless, and ready to throw in the towel. Godly sorrow is initiated by the Holy Spirit, our advocate, who helps us become set free from the grip of sin and encourages us to go on for another day. Jesus explains in John 14:26,
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
Psalm 129:23 urges us to ask,
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”
Godly sorrow begins when we allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts to reveal sinful actions and attitudes with the goal of repenting and turning away from living them out in the future. 1 Corinthians 2:10 describes how the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. Sadly, we’re often clueless to sinful actions and attitudes that have invaded our lives, not realizing we are in desperate need of the Holy Spirit’s insight to search our hearts and minds and reveal the things we may become accustomed to justifying, overlooking, and entertaining in our lives. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth about the condition of our hearts, as Jesus describes in John 16:8,
“When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.”
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Dear Father,
Let Your Holy Spirit come and examine our hearts to see if there is anything keeping us from experiencing all that You have for us in life. Free us from the accusations, lies, and condemnation that come from the enemy of our souls. Fill our hearts instead with godly sorrow for the sin we allow to dwell within us. Set us free and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. Godly sorrow helps us to resist regret and its destructive nature in our lives.
2. The saying “confession is good for the soul” is true. It’s good to ask the Holy Spirit to review our day with us and see if there is anything we need to confess to the Lord so we don’t let things build up and come between us in our relationship.
3. The Holy Spirit’s work brings life to us, renewing us and freeing us from sin’s effects.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/James Robinson
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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