Prepare to Quit AlcoholSample

2 Corinthians 7:10 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.

Mindful Minute: This verse calls attention to two very different forms of sorrow. One version leads us to repentance and connection with our Heavenly Father, and the other leads us to a feeling of inadequacy and disconnection from Him. Godly sorrow is a remorse rooted in conviction when we realize the choices we are making are separating us from God. This is a healthy form of guilt that leads to repentance and is a normal reaction to sin. Godly sorrow represents that discerning inner voice or feeling that says we did something wrong. Thankfully, this Godly sorrow can be a gateway to transformation. Our Heavenly Father knows that sin abounds in this world and that we will struggle with it while in our earthly bodies. Godly guilt prompts us to confess and repent, turning away from sin and back toward Him. Through the work of Jesus on the cross, we are cleansed of our sins, allowing us to move forward free from the weight of our past.

Paul discusses another type of sorrow in this verse that he calls “worldly sorrow.” We are warned that this type of sorrow leads to spiritual death. The spiritual death he discusses here is not a damnation to hell, but a resultant disconnection from Him. This is not because He is missing from our lives, but because we have turned our back on Him. This is the place where shame resides. Godly guilt says, “I’ve done something wrong, and I need to repent.” Worldly guilt says, “I am wrong; I am the problem; I am unfixable.” One focuses on the action to be corrected, while the other crucifies the person as fatally flawed in some manner. Unfortunately, shame is a powerful and destructive emotion that, if left unchecked, prevents us from experiencing the freedom of His grace and forgiveness. When facing the heavy charges of worldly shame, coupled with a sense of separation from God, it is no wonder so many find themselves stuck in the psychological slavery that goes hand in hand with using this substance. Shame is a showstopper to a healing path.

Today, you are encouraged to unburden yourself from the brutal weight of worldly shame, and to remember that you are truly precious and forever redeemed by your loving Father in Heaven. You are completely unique; there has never been anyone like you in the past, and there will never be anyone like you in the future. You are a child of God, and your destiny is sealed with Him in eternity. Like all humans for millennia, you have fallen victim to the lies of the enemy. Shame will keep you stuck in a narrative that leads to spiritual death (feeling disconnected from God). Instead of succumbing to shame, use Godly wisdom and discernment to uncover the lies of Satan that have created loss in your life through this behavior. Repentance and grace are always available to you, every single day.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for sending your Son to the cross to bear my sins. I desire Godly sorrow, not worldly sorrow, so that I can turn away from this habit that produces sin and repent. I no longer want to carry the shame I feel because of this horrible habit. I no longer want to believe the lie that I am unworthy of your love and forgiveness or of overcoming this problem. Grant me the wisdom to see the lies of this world and help me release the shame I have taken on because of this repeated behavior. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.