Begin with two minutes of silence and stillness before God.
In 2 Corinthians 7, we see Paul’s heart and his plan for the church come to fruition. He is elated to see that the Corinthian Christians have taken his instructions and put them into practice. Telling our loved ones that they are making poor decisions is a hard thing to do, but it was something Paul had to do. He did not enjoy it. You can feel how heavy the burden was for him as he recounts his feelings and emotions in this chapter. However, you can also feel his joy as the realization hits him that his words were not spoken in vain. The people of the church took God’s Word, through Paul’s letters, and put them into practice. He is encouraged and energized by the news that they have not only turned away from sin, but they have repented.
Paul faced many hardships and trials during his journey. He was beaten and imprisoned many times during his quest to spread the gospel. I am sure he often felt defeated and surrounded by indifference, but he held onto the hope and the promise of the Lord. When he heard that the people of the church of Corinth had turned away from their sins because of his letter, he was overjoyed. He was not only happy because they had seen the error of their ways, but they were practicing Godly repentance.
It is important to remember that Paul was not telling them to turn away from sin just to exercise his authority. Paul understood the meaning of Godly repentance. In verses 10 and 11, he states, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you. What earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourself, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done? At every point, you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.” Repentance is not a burdensome task but a liberating gift from the Lord. It removes the shame and guilt of sin, so that we may walk with Jesus. We are no longer chained. We are set free through love and obedience. It draws us closer to God, reminding us of the depth of His love and the lengths to which he went to save us by enduring the cross.
As Christ's followers, Godly repentance is something we should always practice in our own lives. Is there a sin in your life you need to repent of? I think it is also important to note that when others see us repent, it is an encouragement to them. Paul gives us a great example of this in verse 13 by telling us, “In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.” Who in your life would be encouraged by seeing you lead a life of Godly repentance?
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.