Love that Convicts
2Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted but sorrow of the world produces death.
Feeling sad for what you have done id definitely a step toward repentance, but it is only a step. It is not the same as repentance. Grief over what you have done can be little more than regretting that you got caught, that you disappointed someone or even yourself, or that you now have to deal with the consequences of your actions.
A step beyond sadness is acknowledging that is what you have done is wrong, that it is a violation of God's commands, a failure to love Him with all your being or love others as you love yourself. This step involves conviction about your sin and recognizing your sinfulness.
Conviction of sin is both good and godly. It means God cares about your life. He wants to remove that which will ultimately hurt you. Conviction will be an irritation to a defiant heart, but to the receptive heart it will bring sorrow leading to repentance and a renewed relationship with God.
True repentance is a gift of the Spirit, as He alone can convict of sin. When He does, respond humbly and immediately, not just with regret but with genuine repentance.
Gods Daily Agenda, Blackaby
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