I have recently come to understand in ways that were previously unknown to me the difference between "godly" sorrow, and the more mundane variety.
8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
9 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.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
I would like to contrast this with what Mormon says of the sorrow that the unrepentant Nephites went through as described in Mormon 2
11 Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land because of these things, and more especially among the people of Nephi.
12 And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous people.
13 But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.
14 And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives.
15 And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually;
There are obviously two kinds of sorrow - godly sorrow, which leads people to repentance, and what I would call "sorrow for being caught or found out." Godly sorrow stems from humility and the realization that we have offended God. Other sorrow stems from one's offended pride and has nothing to do with a desire to change one's life. Godly sorrow focuses on repair and reformation, while other sorrow is only interested in revenge and resistance. Those who experience Godly sorrow feel remorse for actions that have removed themselves from God's good graces and will do anything to get back. Those who experience other sorrow are not interested in getting back; in fact, they wonder why God has abandoned them, when in fact it is they who have abandoned Him.
It is interesting to note that the day of grace had passed for the Nephites, which seems to be a self-inflicted judgement. God would never forsake us, but at some point one's heart may become so hardened that the Spirit cannot find purchase. At that point, the Spirit ceases to strive with us and we are left horribly alone to fend for ourselves. This is the true of us individually as it was true for the Nephite nation, and will lead to the same results.
How wonderful it is then, that we may repent if we want to. All God requires is the heart and a willing mind. If we turn to Him, and keep returning to Him, He will heal us and make us whole. His grace is sufficient. We can be clean and pure, even as He is pure.<
Godly sorrow is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 7:
8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
9 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.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
I would like to contrast this with what Mormon says of the sorrow that the unrepentant Nephites went through as described in Mormon 2
11 Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land because of these things, and more especially among the people of Nephi.
12 And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous people.
13 But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.
14 And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives.
15 And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually;
There are obviously two kinds of sorrow - godly sorrow, which leads people to repentance, and what I would call "sorrow for being caught or found out." Godly sorrow stems from humility and the realization that we have offended God. Other sorrow stems from one's offended pride and has nothing to do with a desire to change one's life. Godly sorrow focuses on repair and reformation, while other sorrow is only interested in revenge and resistance. Those who experience Godly sorrow feel remorse for actions that have removed themselves from God's good graces and will do anything to get back. Those who experience other sorrow are not interested in getting back; in fact, they wonder why God has abandoned them, when in fact it is they who have abandoned Him.
It is interesting to note that the day of grace had passed for the Nephites, which seems to be a self-inflicted judgement. God would never forsake us, but at some point one's heart may become so hardened that the Spirit cannot find purchase. At that point, the Spirit ceases to strive with us and we are left horribly alone to fend for ourselves. This is the true of us individually as it was true for the Nephite nation, and will lead to the same results.
How wonderful it is then, that we may repent if we want to. All God requires is the heart and a willing mind. If we turn to Him, and keep returning to Him, He will heal us and make us whole. His grace is sufficient. We can be clean and pure, even as He is pure.<
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Incidentally, never in my post did I claim to have godly sorrow, just that I understood it better now. I wish/hope for nothing more than to feel genuine, godly sorrow for offenses given to a righteous and loving Heavenly Father and an increased desire to not repeat such offenses in the future. It is impossible to recover some actions. Some actions, once taken, can never be returned to the previous condition, the way a bolt, once stripped, can never be reset. The bolt must be returned to the forge where it can be melted down and re-threaded.
Perhaps this is what is meant by the refiner's fire...