"Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
Since we know from 2 Nephi 2:25 that at least a large part of the purpose of life is joy, sorrow seems to be something that just doesn't fit into our lives, or God's plan. And yet, as explained in today's selection, sometimes the godly type of sorrow turns us to repentance and salvation. Worldly sorrow, apparently, turns us to death.
I'm guessing that distinguishing between two types of sorrow is about our focus and our faith. Jesus wept with Mary and Martha when Lazarus died, and mourning and sadness is going to happen, but if we keep our focus on God, then we can trust that he will help us through even the worst sorrows and disappointments, and that the sorrow is temporary. When we are feeling "the sorrow of the world" we seem to dramatically assume that today's sorrow will never pass and sometimes even draw our suffering out, forgetting to look around us at anything else because we are so wrapped up in that one part of life.
Today, let's work on seeing through even sorrow to the promises of God that underlie all things. Let's be sorry for and change the things that we regret about our past actions, repenting and becoming better people. Let's make sure we don't get trapped in the death of self-imposed eternal sorrow because we can't see past it to all the joy that God is offering us. Instead, let's choose salvation by focusing on God and doing what we can to get back on his path of happiness.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
Since we know from 2 Nephi 2:25 that at least a large part of the purpose of life is joy, sorrow seems to be something that just doesn't fit into our lives, or God's plan. And yet, as explained in today's selection, sometimes the godly type of sorrow turns us to repentance and salvation. Worldly sorrow, apparently, turns us to death.
I'm guessing that distinguishing between two types of sorrow is about our focus and our faith. Jesus wept with Mary and Martha when Lazarus died, and mourning and sadness is going to happen, but if we keep our focus on God, then we can trust that he will help us through even the worst sorrows and disappointments, and that the sorrow is temporary. When we are feeling "the sorrow of the world" we seem to dramatically assume that today's sorrow will never pass and sometimes even draw our suffering out, forgetting to look around us at anything else because we are so wrapped up in that one part of life.
Today, let's work on seeing through even sorrow to the promises of God that underlie all things. Let's be sorry for and change the things that we regret about our past actions, repenting and becoming better people. Let's make sure we don't get trapped in the death of self-imposed eternal sorrow because we can't see past it to all the joy that God is offering us. Instead, let's choose salvation by focusing on God and doing what we can to get back on his path of happiness.
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