Grief

Grief

MY QUESTION for GOD

How should I respond to sin in my own life, in my church, and in the world?

A MOMENT with GOD

While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and lying face down on the ground in front of the Temple of God, a very large crowd of people from Israel—men, women, and children—gathered and wept bitterly with him.

Ezra 10:1

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

James 4:8-10

The kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

2 Corinthians 7:10

Grief is an appropriate response to sin. When you grieve, you mourn for something you have lost. Sin causes you to lose much: your intimate relationship with God, the knowledge of the Lord’s plan for your life, the Holy Spirit’s empowerment to live the Christian life, wholeness within yourself and in your relationships with others, and the ability to be a pure and effective witness to others. What a huge loss! The sorrow you feel over your sin should lead you to a divine moment when you ask God for forgiveness and commit to changing your behavior.

DIVINE PROMISE

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Psalm 34:18