Come, Follow Me

2 Corinthians 7

How Does Godly Sorrow Help Us Repent?

Jesus embracing a man

Photograph by Mark Mabry

The Apostle Paul taught, “Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation … but the sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Corinthians 7:10). We might feel worldly sorrow, shame, and discouragement when we sin. Yet as we turn to the Savior to repent, we invite Him to transform our hearts and turn our sorrow to joy (see Alma 36:18–20).

Godly Sorrow and True Repentance

When we feel godly sorrow, we recognize our shortcomings and want to do better. We feel hope for the future—and feel the Savior’s love for us.

Consider these questions as you study 2 Corinthians 7:

• What does it mean when we have “sorrowed to repentance”? (verse 9).

• What actions do we take when we feel godly sorrow? (see verses 10–11).

Worldly Sorrow vs. Godly Sorrow

“Worldly sorrow pulls us down, extinguishes hope, and persuades us to give in to further temptation.

“Godly sorrow leads to conversion and a change of heart. It causes us to hate sin and love goodness. It encourages us to stand up and walk in the light of Christ’s love. True repentance is about transformation, not torture or torment. Yes, heartfelt regret and true remorse for disobedience are often painful and very important steps in the sacred process of repentance. But when guilt leads to self-loathing or prevents us from rising up again, it is impeding rather than promoting our repentance.”

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “You Can Do It Now!,” Liahona, Nov. 2013, 56.

Discussion

Read Doctrine and Covenants 18:9–13. What does the Savior think of us, despite our imperfections? How can we change our view of ourselves to align with His?