July 4 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

2 Corinthians 7:8–10

Devotional

A man who has godly sorrow has several identifying characteristics. In the first place, a man with godly sorrow cannot let go of God. Job says: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Jacob said, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” In the second place, a man with godly sorrow has no bitterness. If the Lord would have nothing to do with this man, he would not be bitter. He acknowledges that this would be only just and righteous. He understands the Canaanite woman who, when after Christ compared her to a dog, said, “Yea, Lord.” Instead of being embittered, she concurs with the Lord when He accuses her. In the third place, a man who experiences godly sorrow lives in humility. He does not feel sorry for himself. He knows that his misery is his own fault and does not complain. Finally, a man who has godly sorrow does not want to exchange it for all the happiness in the world. He has no longing for the pleasures of the world; his thirst is for God.

The poet of Psalm 42 says, “As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” Imagine a deer standing at the top of a cliff and seeing water flowing below in the depths of the valley. It smells the water, it hears the water, and it sees the water. But it cannot reach the water. It longs for the satisfaction of the water. That is a description of the soul of a man that has godly sorrow. He longs for the God of living waters, who can quench his thirsty soul. Deliverance for his thirsty soul comes only from God. He cannot talk himself into this deliverance. He cannot work himself into it. You can say to him: “You must believe; you must accept; you must not be so sorrowful, for all will work out well.” But with these words such a sorrowful one is not comforted. God must grant faith and speak peace to his soul; only in Him does he find comfort. Such a person depends on free grace alone.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.