Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Corinthians 7:8-11.

 

“⁸ For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it;  though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—

 

⁹ I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance;  for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.

 

¹⁰ For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

 

¹¹ For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you:  what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong!  In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.”  2 Corinthians 7:8-11.

 

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We don’t want to feel sorrow.  We don’t want to cause sorrow.  But, Godly sorrow produces repentance, righteousness, and salvation.

 

In our Scripture for today, Paul reflects on his strong critical letter to the Corinthians and how it caused them sorrow.  It is kind of like when we, as parents, discipline our children.  We may feel bad about it for a while, but we know that it is necessary for our children and for their good, and the temporary feeling of regret is replaced with feelings of hope and then joy that our children will (and then are) walking in truth. 

 

“… “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,
NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; 
FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.

 

”It is for discipline that you endure;  God deals with you as with sons;  for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them;  shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?  For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.  All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful;  yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”  Hebrews 12:5-11.