Week 14 - Regrets Give Way to Rejoicing

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DECLARATION:

Ephesians 2:20–22 (ESV)

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

SVCC is built by God, upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.

We are joined together by union with Christ, we are growing, and we are a dwelling place of God by his Spirit.

Prayer for...

INTRODUCTION:

Review:

WHY?…

TODAY: Regrets Give THAT Give Way To Rejoicing

Psychology Today: “A nationally representative study, which asked 270 Americans to describe a significant life regret, found the most commonly reported regrets involved romance (19.3%), family (16.9%), education (14.0%), career (13.8%), finance (9.9%), and parenting (9.0%) (Morrison & Roese, 2011).”

Opening Scripture: 2 Cor. 7:5-16

2 Corinthians 7:8–9 “8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.”

How does Paul handle anxiety from regret?

Paul’s Regret Causes Anxiety (7:5–7)

1. Acknowledge anxiety in the face of conflict (v. 5)

2. Allow godly relationships to bring you comfort when you are anxious (v. 6)

3. Ask God to comfort you by bringing you good news (v. 7)

Proverbs 12:25 “25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”

Proverbs 15:30“30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones.”

Regret that Gives Way to Rejoicing (7:8–11)

1. Difficult decisions often cause regret (v. 8)

2. Discerning the positive results of a difficult decision leads to rejoicing (v. 9)

3. Distress from regrets may also produce godly repentance (vv. 10-11)

Godly grief brings repentance that leads to salvation, and is reflected in godly action.

Worldly grief without repentance ends in remorse and produces death (v. 10b).

In The New Yorker, (5/15/95) Sara Mosle recounts that on March 18, 1937, a spark ignited a cloud of natural gas that had accumulated in the basement of the London, Texas, school. The blast killed 293 people, most of them children.

The explosion happened because the local school board wanted to cut heating costs. Natural gas, the by-product of petroleum extraction, was siphoned from a neighboring oil company's pipeline to fuel the building's furnace free of charge.

London never recovered from the blast that turned the phrase "boom town" into a bitter joke. The one positive effect of this disastrous event was government regulation requiring companies to add an odorant to natural gas. The distinctive aroma is now so familiar that we often forget natural gas is naturally odorless.

There is a tendency these days to classify all feelings of guilt as hazardous to our self-esteem. In reality, guilt can be valuable, an "odorant" that warns us of danger.

(Source: https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1996/may/1485.html)

Conclusion/Reflection:

As we conclude our reflections on Paul moving from Regret to Rejoicing in 2 Corinthians 7:5–11, we are reminded that even in the depths of remorse, there is an avenue for redemption. The transparency of Paul's struggles becomes a beacon of hope for us all, unveiling the reality that difficult decisions often bring about regret and distress. Yet, within this vulnerability lies the power of godly relationships and the soothing balm of good news.

The culmination of regret in godly repentance underscores the divine initiative that turns remorse into a catalyst for change and growth.

In the face of regret and redemption, let us find solace in the grace that accompanies godly sorrow, embracing a pathway that leads not to death but to the profound salvation found in repentance and renewed action.

Talk It Over

In 2 Cor. 7:5, Paul acknowledges experiencing anxiety in the face of conflict. How do you personally handle anxiety when you are confronted with regrets or conflicts? What role does acknowledgment play in the process of addressing and managing anxiety?

2 Cor:7:7 emphasizes asking God for comfort through good news. How has receiving encouraging or positive news impacted your emotional well-being in times of distress or regret? How can believers actively seek and share good news to uplift and support one another in challenging moments?

How does godly grief differ from worldly grief, and what are the implications of this distinction in one's life?