Sadness according to God

Are there different types of sadness? In the Bible it is clearly explained that yes. In fact, a fundamental part of repentance is learning to feel the right kind of sadness . 

The Bible tells us that it is important for us to understand the right kind of sadness, which leads to repentance of heart and change.  

Most of us would say "I'm sorry" if we accidentally bump into someone in the store. Most of us would feel sad if we found out that a close friend had lost a loved one, and we would really feel very sorry for that person. In both cases the feeling can be from the heart. But if so, is that the kind of sadness God is looking for when it comes to repentance?

King Solomon wrote: “The glad heart beautifies the face; But by the pain of the heart the spirit is lowered ”(Proverbs 15:13). A happy face is simply an outward expression of being happy. It is the reaction to an internal physical emotion.

But Solomon also warns that the spirit can be lowered by the pain of the heart. The human being's heart describes the person's mind and thought. What does it mean that the spirit is downcast?    

Does God require a dejected spirit?

King David wrote: “The Eternal is near to the broken hearted; And save the contrite in spirit ”(Psalms 34:18).

There are times to be broken; moments to go to God with the appropriate sadness. The translation for the Hebrew word "contrite" can mean "collapse" ( Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible , # 1793) [ Strong : Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, # 1793]. God is close to those whose selfish and proud mind has been broken, and saves those who have their broken spirit .   

David, considered a man according to the heart of God, tells us: “The sacrifices of God are the broken spirit; At the heart contrite and humbled not despise you, O God "(Psalms 51:17). Owen’s Analytical Key to the Old Testament translates the Hebrew words in that passage as follows: “The sacrifice pleasing to God, a spirit of brokenness, a broken and contrite heart, God, you don't you despise it. "           

How is a "broken heart" related to repentance?

Although the words repentance or repentance are not mentioned in Psalms 51 , David expresses what it means to have a broken spirit — showing his deep repentance and great desire to be forgiven and purified.    

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your mercy; According to the multitude of your pities erase my rebellions. Wash me more and more from my evil, And cleanse me from my sin. Because I recognize my rebellions, And my sin is always before me. Against you, against you I have only sinned, And I have done evil before your eyes; That you may be recognized just in your word, and considered pure in your judgment ”(vv. 1-4).  

Motivated by his repentance, David recognized, confessed, and admitted his sins. In another of his psalms, he wrote: “I declared my sin to you, and did not cover up my iniquity. I said: I will confess my transgressions to the Eternal; And you forgave the wickedness of my sin ”(Psalms 32: 5).

What are the characteristics of sadness according to God?

The apostle Paul was relieved by the repentance of the members of the congregation in Corinth, after having rebuked them. Here we can see another aspect of sadness according to God — the deep desire and commitment to change.

“Because although I grieved you with the letter, it does not weigh on me, although I regretted it then; because I see that that letter, although for some time, saddened you. Now I rejoice, not because you have been grieved, but because you were grieved for repentance; because you have been grieved according to God, so that you would not suffer any loss on our part. Because the sadness that is according to God produces repentance for salvation, that there is no need to repent; but the sadness of the world produces death. For behold, this very thing that you have been grieved according to God, what solicitude produced in you, what defense, what indignation, what fear, what ardent affection, what zeal, and what vindication! In everything you have been clean in the matter ”(2 Corinthians 7: 8-11).                     

Paul's description here is very clear. Sadness according to God will produce something in us that will make us change and will motivate us to be distressed enough to repent. 

Let's look at these words that Paul used to describe sadness according to God:

Request

Defending

Indignation (anger at what we have done)

Fear

Burning affection

Zeal

Vindication

He said: "In everything you have been clean in the matter." This is not a temporary sadness because of the condition one is in, it is a true repentance that leads to change.  

It is important that we realize that while lamenting is an aspect of true repentance, the feeling of sadness if it not is repentance. Sadness according to God leads us to a change in our way of thinking, in our actions and in our life. It makes us have the right attitude so that we can repent.    

Sadness according to the world cares more about punishment or consequences. Sadness according to God is more concerned with the desire to change.

Clarke’s Bible Commentary says this about sadness according to God: “It was not a shame for having been discovered and then solemnly rebuked, it was a shame because you had sinned against God, whose consideration made you grieve more than the fear of any punishment ”(commentary on 2 Corinthians 7: 9).  

If a child is doing something wrong and the parent corrects it, the child may regret that his feelings were hurt or that he was unable to do what he wanted to do. Only until we have the right kind of sadness can we realize that what we are doing is really wrong.

Having the right kind of sadness will lead to a changed heart. Then God can grant repentance to that person.

Why sadness according to the world produces death?

When a person has sinned and is suffering the consequences of his decisions, he can feel a natural sadness, according to the world. For example, if a person gets drunk and is arrested for driving under the influence, and then wakes up in prison, they may feel distressed or embarrassed. Probably he would not wish to have a hangover discomfort or be concerned that he had put the lives of others in danger. But then you can take a turn and do the same thing again next weekend. As soon as you are out of jail, without experiencing any physical discomfort, you may not think much about what you did. This type of repentance is temporary — it does not lead to a change in the way you think or act!

In a spiritual sense, if a person does not repent of sin, then he continues to live in sin, and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The punishment for sin — death — is still upon him, and his temporary sadness according to the world will not lead to lasting change.

Sadness according to God will guide you to a new heart

In Ezekiel 18: 30-31 God warned Israel: “Therefore I will judge each one according to his ways, O house of Israel, says the Eternal Lord. Turn, and turn aside from all your transgressions, and iniquity shall not be the cause of ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions with which you have sinned, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, house of Israel? ” 

God wanted a "new heart" in the people of Israel. He wanted to see them change and to be followed. He wants the same today with you and me.

However, humanity does not tend to have sadness according to God. Jesus said: “But he said that what comes out of man contaminates man. Because from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, homicide, theft, greed, wickedness, deception, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, folly . All these evils from within come out and pollute man ”(Mark 7: 20-23).  

These are the natural tendencies of man. Elsewhere in the scriptures they are called "works of the flesh" (Galatians 5: 19-21). But when a person feels sadness according to God, leading him to repentance and change, then God can give that person his Holy Spirit. This creates a new heart that can begin to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God (Galatians 5: 22-23).

Sadness according to God, as Paul described it, will lead us to repentance, which is the first step in responding to God's call, and will lead us to the path of conversion.

The result of sadness according to God is a changed heart, and it will lead us to a new life — and eventually to eternal life. "For the sadness that is according to God produces repentance for salvation" (2 Corinthians 7:10).