第七章

8雖然我在那封信上使你們憂傷，但我現在並不後悔；其實我曾經有點後悔，因為知道那封信使你們憂傷，雖然只是暫時的。9現在我快樂，不是因為你們憂傷，而是因為你們的憂傷帶來了悔改。你們依照神的意思憂傷，凡事就不會因我們受到虧損。10因為依照神的意思而有的憂傷，可以生出沒有懊悔的悔改，以致得救；世俗的憂傷卻會招致死亡。11看哪，你們依照神的意思憂傷，在你們中間就產生了怎樣的熱情、申訴、憤慨、戰兢、渴望、熱誠、正義；你們在各方面都表明了自己在那事上是清白的。12因此，從前我雖然寫過信給你們，卻不是為了那虧負人的，也不是為了那受害的，而是在神面前把你們對我們的熱情，向你們顯現出來。13因此，我們得了安慰。在這安慰之外，我們因提多的喜樂就更加歡喜，因為他的心從你們眾人那裡得到暢快。

 

默想

1. 世人的傷心是一種“很難過，我被抓到了”的難過；也為自己，和現在要付的後果難過。屬神的傷痛是為做錯的事而懊悔 — 力求從錯誤中轉回。這樣，才會帶來屬靈的見識和成熟。
2. 我有沒有曾經經歷過這種深度的屬神的憂傷？是為自己？是為別人？

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在“靈程筆記”簿上面。

 

CHAPTER 7

⁸Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— ⁹yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. ¹⁰Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. ¹¹See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. ¹²So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. ¹³By all this we are encouraged.

MEDITATION

1. The world’s sorrow is an “I’m sorry I got caught” kind of sorrow.  The individual is sorry for himself, and the consequences he now has to pay.  Godly sorrow is grief about the original act, and repentance – a commitment to turn from wrongdoing and to turn back toward God.  We grieve, like Isaiah does in Isaiah 6, not only for ourselves, but also because we belong to a people who are sinful.  With this comes spiritual insight and maturity.
2. Have I ever experienced this deep godly grief, for myself, or for others?

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.