For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
2 Corinthians 7:10, ESV
No one should enjoy bringing grief and sorrow to anybody. When we, however, speak to the wrongs in another Christian brother or sister’s life, we seek to bring correction and the hope that they will turn away from that which is wrong, as Paul had done in his earlier letter to Corinth, of which he speaks. It grieved the hearts of the fellow believers in Corinth, and they turned away from the wrongs which they had accepted in the faith community. They didn’t hold to the pain that Paul’s letter caused them but saw the purpose and went forward with that purpose. It does not say exactly how it was corrected. It was more than likely addressing the sin directly and making those involved either repent or be disfellowshipped. It is hard to confront sin that is bringing negative things into the life of a faith community. Our nature is to avoid and hope that it just goes away, but, as Paul had said, to ignore it would only make it worse. I know the difficulty of this. Early in ministry, I was bold to confront sin when I saw it, and I may have been too bold at times. This isn’t uncommon. Yet, I still work through some of the wounds that were inflicted on me as a consequence. I know that there are those who, instead of being grieved in a godly way in seeking repentance, were grieved in a worldly way, which didn’t lead to any repentance on their part and only brought greater pain to me. I am sure that most of us have felt this, too. The pain of the impenitent is a wound not only to those whom they hurt but is an action that is against God and leads to nothing but death. The death that is eternal. Knowing the pain of being blamed for the sin of another and the cost that it has on life is difficult, but as we walk in faith our hope is that our life and witness is not one that is seen as bringing judgment into the lives of others, but of bringing many to the eternal glory of God.
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.