I DO NOT REGRET IT
Tuesday 14
“For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while.”
2 Corinthians 7:8 (NKJV)
READ: 2 Corinthians 7:2–12
In this passage of the Bible, we could deduce that the letter—the epistle written by Paul to the Corinthians–made them sorry and sorrowful (2 Corinthians 7:7,8). Paul said he did not regret it. The letter made them sorry for a while. It later produced a change in them (2 Corinthians 7:8–11).
I have seen some believers who said they would not want to attend a church where the messages they heard would make them sorry or sorrowful. In other words, all they wanted is motivational speaking—what will tell them they are doing well, that they will make it and
succeed (2 Timothy 4:3,4). Such messages might not be entirely bad; they are needed at the time of low ebb or despondency by a believer.
However, when a believer starts tocrave for such messages always, without any solid food as said in Hebrews 5:12–14, such a believer will have a lopsided growth. It means the believer has gotten itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3,4), turning away from the truth and being turned to fables (2 Timothy 4:4). A believer who will experience balanced spiritual growth should be ready to hear the milk aspect of the Word, as well as the solid food aspect of the Word for spiritual
balance and to avoid spiritual malnourishment (Hebrews 5:12–14).
The solid food of the Word might make you sorry and sorrowful, however, you need it for your proper spiritual growth.
• It is the solid food of the Word that will help you in discerning good and evil (Hebrews 5:14).
• Whoever is being fed with only the milk of the Word is unskilled in the word of righteousness—such a believer is still a babe:
13 FOR EVERYONE WHO PARTAKES ONLY OF MILK IS UNSKILLED IN THE WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR
HE IS A BABE.
14 BUT SOLID FOOD BELONGS TO THOSE WHO ARE OF FULL AGE, THAT IS, THOSE WHO BY REASON OF USE
HAVE THEIR SENSES EXERCISED TO DISCERN BOTH GOOD AND EVIL.
Hebrews 5:13,14 (NKJV)
The point being made here is that a believer should not be of notion
that he does not need a message that would make him sorry or sorrowful. Most a times, the believer needs such a message for proper spiritual growth.
You need the milk of the Word of God as well as the solid food, for spiritual growth and healthiness. Believers who evade or try to run away from the solid food of the word of God are those who
want to remain in one hidden sin or another. They are believers who want to keep indulging their flesh, whereas, they ought to crucify their flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).
Whoever wants to live in line with the Bible will not evade or dodge the solid food of the Word of God.
The Word of God that makes you sorry and sorrowful should be gladly embraced because such produces repentance that leads to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10). There are some things that such messages usually produce that are mentioned in 2 Corinthians 7:11:
I. What diligence it produced in them (2 Corinthians 7:11)—the fervency of the Corinthians was reignited.
II. What clearing of themselves—they wanted to vindicate themselves against the charge of tolerating sin; they proved themselves innocent (2 Corinthians 7:11).
III. What indignation at sin—the epistle made the Corinthians angry against sin (2 Corinthians 7:11).
IV. What fear of offending God—the letter created the fear of not wanting to offend God (2 Corinthians 7:11).
V. What zeal—they had passion to do what is right; they became zealous for living in line with God’s Word (2 Corinthians 7:11).
VI. What vindication—they were ready to punish those who sin. They wanted to see justice done (2 Corinthians 7:11).
With the points mentioned above, we could see the work of reformation that the letter did in their midst. Thus, you would need messages that reprove—messages that will call you to order, for you not to derail or go astray in your Christian journey. If you lack messages that produce godly sorrows, you cannot be well rooted or steadfast in God.
There are many things that can lead astray. There are ways or paths that seem right but lead to death and destruction (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). However, through messages that lead to godly sorrow, you will be able to disembark on any route or way and journey that lead to death and destruction.
You need those messages. Do not detest or resist them!
Re f l e c t :
• Are there messages that convict or correct you that you tend to avoid?
Peace.
July 2026 Edification Daily Devotional is here. Download your free copy:
• Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SBQMPzCqlmRnvNuP4um1U9xv2HlW3uD7/view?usp=drive_link
• Telegram: https://t.me/Bethel_Digital_Library/42