Years ago, while driving my car, I noticed that my check engine light turned on. So I took my car to my mechanic, a trusted friend, and explained to him that I had no idea what was wrong with the car. All I knew was that my check engine light was triggered.
He ran diagnostics on the car and found the problem. Whatever the problem was, within a couple of hours, my car was fixed. My mechanic assured me that the issue was resolved.
However, as I drove away from the auto shop, I noticed that my check engine light was still on. “That can’t be,” I thought to myself. I was so bothered by the light that I became a distracted driver. It was difficult to focus on the road ahead while simultaneously worrying about the light.
I turned around and complained to my mechanic friend. He assured me again that the issue was resolved. He explained, “The problem is fixed. Now, I just need to reset the check engine light.”
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)
The conscience is to the mind what pain is to the body. Guilt can be like a check engine light. It alerts you to an issue. It tells you that something is wrong, that something needs to be fixed, that something could lead to a breakdown.
The problem comes when, after fixing the problem, we forget to reset the check engine light. After you’ve repented and been forgiven of a sin, it’s time to move on. Once godly sorrow has served its purpose, it’s okay to have joy again. That’s why the psalmist wrote,
Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. (Psalms 32:1-5)
The conviction of the Holy Spirit is not a burden; it’s a blessing. Repentance is not an obligation; it’s an opportunity. Godly sorrow is your spiritual check engine light. Repent. Fix the issue. And then reset the light. Let godly sorrow serve its purpose and then move on. If you become too focused on your spiritual check engine light, it may become impossible to focus ahead on the road of your divine destiny.
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