Jesus Christ was a man of joy and happiness and also a man sorrows (Isaiah 53:3).  We know that he felt grief for the sins of the world and the suffering they created.  Sorrow is a part of life and God's Word tells us that it is sometimes better to mourn (Ecclesiastes 7:2-3). Sorrow can help us understand the suffering sin causes and avoid making the same mistakes. In the heart of every man there is sorrow.  The tears which accompany sorrow are either worldly tears or godly ones.  Sorrow is defined as distress, sadness, or anxiety.

Jesus Christ, on the night of his crucifixion, surely felt distress and anxiety.  To His disciples, Jesus said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me." (Matthew 26:38; KJV throughout)  He was exceedingly sorrowful. With sorrow come tears and an emotional release which helps the mind to heal.

We may have heard someone say that they needed a good cry.  I remember the time preceding my mother's death. I knew her time was short and I was grieving.  It built up until one day, I cried a fountain of tears, releasing pent up pain and relieving my pent up anxiety.  Crying can be beneficial.  For both males and females, crying can be a perfectly healthy way to cope with emotional upheaval or heaviness. Everyone can cry due to sorrows. King David wept on several occasions, even watering his couch with tears. (Psalms 6:6) Out of compassion for his grieving friends, Jesus cried after learning when they told him that Lazarus had died. The shortest verse in the Bible simply says, "Jesus wept" (John 11:35).

Poets and novelists for years have known intuitively that crying is somehow good for us. William Shakespeare, for example, wrote, “To weep is to make less the depth of grief.” And poet Alfred Lord Tennyson once wrote about a woman who learned that her husband had been killed. “She must weep,” the writer said, “or she will die.” Sorrow often brings tears.  Is crying good for us? If yes why? Tears, it seems, reduce tensions, remove toxins, and increase the body’s ability to heal itself. In short, scientists are concluding that people who cry enjoy better health. (Have a good cry; Victor Parachin)

The subjects of sorrow and tears are addressed in the Word of God; the first century Corinthian church, known for its licentious behavior, was going through an immoral and untenable situation; Though not present at Corinth, the apostle Paul had to swiftly and decisively address this serious problem. The matter concerned a man caught up in an adulterous relationship with his step mother. Paul wrote, “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife." (1 Corinthians 5:1) It was a shameful act and, if that wasn't enough, the guilty party and others in the church were boastful about the matter.

“And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that has done this deed might be taken away from among you." (1 Corinthians 5:2) Did the apostle Paul feel sorrow? Indeed, for he deeply cared for the churches! Did he shed tears? Yes, he did. He loved the churches that he served, and wanted only what was best for them. The offending party had to be evicted from the church, not out of hate, but out of love in hopes that the guilty person would come to terms with his sins and repent towards God.  A further admonition was given: “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 5:5).

There is a point to consider. Did the Corinthian church at the time of Paul writing this letter to them actually feel godly sorrow? It is safe to say that they probably did not. Did they cry? Perhaps they did, but what kind of tears and what kind of sorrow did they have?  They may have felt worldly sorrow for losing favor in the eyes of Paul, or at the loss of a church friend.

Why do people cry? Thanks to William Frey, who had some of his subjects keep “tear diaries” during a study conducted at the Dry Eye and Tear research Center, we see a pattern emerge: Sadness accounts for 49% of tears, happiness 21%, anger 10%, sympathy 7%, anxiety 5%, and finally fear at 4%.

According to Frey, “even those statistics do not tell the whole story. Tears, it seems, reflect our very humanity. One man, a driven and successful executive, finds that he breaks into tears on the subway while reading about the debilitating poverty of a homeless woman with four children. One woman, a high-powered attorney in Chicago, weeps whenever she hears a Mozart concerto."

In 2 Corinthians, the apostle Paul chronicles his earlier letter to the church and offers an update on his powerful letter's effect. Had their behavior changed? Had they achieved godly sorrow? He writes, “For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.” (2 Corinthians 7:8) The apostle Paul wasn't sorry about writing the letter, nor did he regret making them feel sorry because he loved them and hoped their sorrow meant that they had turned back to God's ways! At this time, he felt no need to further admonish them.  Had godly sorrow actually taken hold?

In the next verse, Paul shares his thoughts about the church's gradual progression toward real repentance. He speaks of the brethren's spiritual growth. “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.” (2 Corinthians 7:9) Paul expressed his empathy, showed his consideration, offered his courtesy. Their godly sorrow was his joy.  The Corinthian church was now filled with godly sorrow. “For godly sorrow at this point worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)

In the Christian Heart, there is no turning back from godliness.  Godly sorrow, which is our objective, means holding fast to God's way of life and away from sin. The apostle Paul's letter continues to a newly contrite Corinthian church. Their godly sorrow was in evidence. “For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” (2 Corinthians 7:11) The apostle Paul felt joy at his flock's new attitude, and he was gladdened by their godly sorrow.

Let’s consider another significant matter about godly sorrow, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:8). As we grow in love for God, we will grow in godly sorrow concerning our sins. With increasing understanding of God's great goodness and His righteousness, we will feel more godly sorrow when we sin against Him. We grow in our comprehension of our own sinful nature and our need for God's Holy Spirit to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8).  As time goes by, we should feel more sorrow when our actions harm othersand our relationship with God. Through God's Holy Spirit working in us, our worldly sorrow decreases and our godly sorrow increases.  Jesus Christ said “ I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7)

There is reason for rejoicing when a sinner repents! God's admonition towards us is to get sin out of our lives. Building His very character in us, God offers us the ultimate reward, which is eternal life. What a miracle! Worldly sorrow turned to godly sorrow, and tears of mourning turned to tears of joy. Let us all seek godly sorrow!

For more information on living a godly life, read the free Bible study aid, Transforming Your Life – The Process of Conversion.