Two Completely Different Kinds of Sorrow

2 Corinthians 7:10

1. Godly sorrow.

2. The sorrow of the world.

These two kinds of sorrow are direct opposites. They are never present at the same time in the same heart. They are mutually exclusive. The sorrow of the world, sorrow for earthly goods, is dishonorable. The sorrow according to God’s mind—reacting to everything and everyone in a godly way—is honorable.

Whereas one person sorrows because he wants more money, the other person, who sorrows according to God’s mind, is full of desire to and interest in being able to make use of the money he has, the money he earns and receives, in a more honorable and more perfect way.

And if the circumstances are such that there is a lack of money, the one person sorrows, attempting to lay hold of money whereas the other person is gripped of being patient and content and keeping his lack secret, of not being envious of anyone or demanding anything from anyone, etc., etc.

We can truly suffer from two completely different kinds of sorrow.

Whereas the one person is sorrowful because he thinks the honor of man that should reasonably be accorded him is not being shown him, the other person is busy with and intensely interested in bearing the dishonor that he has to suffer in a manner that is acceptable to God.

On the whole, the one is busy with matters and things, while the other one is busy with how to react in the situation.

Elias Aslaksen