Take a moment to read 2 Corinthians 7:1-10 before reading the devotional below.
Recall from yesterday’s post that God has called us sons and daughters, setting us apart for great things. Because God has given us a new identity, we need to get rid of all the stuff that makes our lives dirty. Paul has tried to help the Corinthians with this through his letters, but as you might imagine, they have not all taken it very well.
When you need to clean up your life, you sometimes get mad at the person trying to help you do it. Having people call us out can make us defensive and upset. But Paul continues to remind the Corinthians that he is not writing for himself. It is God who wants to lead us away from sin. Paul’s just the messenger.
Here’s your freedom for today:
Genuine sorrow brings genuine freedom.
When people show sorrow in an earthly way, they just say the right words to get people off their backs. They don’t truly change their ways. But supernatural sorrow is a life-giving and transformative process. When your spirit is grieved, it leads you to repentance and genuine change. That change brings freedom because you are no longer bound by the same old ways. What are some areas you’ve been holding back from God? What would supernatural, Spirit-filled grief and sorrow over your sin look like?