Sorrow

2 Corinthians 7:8-10 (NLT)
8 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. 9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. 10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

The Apostle Paul had previously written the church of Corinth concerning an issue taking place in the church. At first he was sorrowful for having to write such a letter, but the sorrow turned to joy. The church had repented and made a change for the good.

“I am sorry.” For some those are difficult words to say. A person may be so entrenched in their problems they refuse to examine the feelings of anyone else. The words “I am sorry” acknowledges to another person that you understand their feelings and you can relate sympathetically to them. “I am sorry” says I understand you were hurt and in the future I will try not to hurt you in that same manner. However, there are some who abuse the words “I am sorry” as an excuse for their behavior. They do not relate to how the other person is feeling, nor do they care. They just want to provide a quick escape, an excuse that might move them past where they are. The apostle tells us “the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin”. It is the same type of sorrow that brought to salvation realizing how our actions have hurt others including God. With this sorrow comes a desire for change, a desire to make things right, and a desire not to repeat past actions.