Sorrow

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." 2 Corinthians 7:10
I was doing my quiet time last night and this verse kind of just popped up and slapped me in the face. For those who are like me and "enjoy" beating themselves up for every little thing they do wrong, I honestly feel like this verse is for you...us.

We, as humans, are sinful and imperfect. We will definitely mess up (a trillion bajillion quadruple millions of times...maybe even more) and feeling guilty about your mess up is totally ok. Its ok to feel grief but what makes this grief not ok is when you let it linger and control you. When we mess up, God doesn't want us to look at ourselves in the mirror and hate on ourselves for what we've done wrong. He wants us to turn to him, apologize, change for the better and let go. Letting go as in not letting it affect you anymore and also turning away from the thing that caused you to sin in the first place. (Letting go is part of forgiveness; whether its forgiving others or ourselves) Jesus already paid the price for our sins, we don't have to go around punishing ourselves and its not healthy to do so either.

Suffering exists and yea it does suck when it happens but it doesn't have to be a bad thing. 

Answered prayers

I was thinking about some of the prayers I prayed in the past, back when I believed in a God I knew nothing about. I didn't know who Jesus was aside from the fact that he is God, or associated with God in some way. I didn't know of the things he's done or the sacrifices he's made. I prayed every night for 2 years I think to this God that I knew nothing about and he actually listened.

To be honest, I don't think I prayed thinking that he would hear me. I think I just prayed because I needed someone there and I believe that he was. It's amazing how these insincere prayers that this confused and lost little girl was praying was still worth His time. It took me a while before I realized God actually answered these prayers and that's because he decided to answer it in a way that was far more than what I had asked for.

I prayed for death and he allowed me to be reborn in him.

I prayed to be adopted into a loving family, and he adopted me into his own.

I prayed for a love that would last forever and he made me aware of his love.

For those of you who constantly think God is too busy to hear your prayers I want you to think again, God listens to every prayer and if you think hard enough I guarantee you will find his answer somewhere. It may or may not be what you asked for but it is definitely 100% for your own good and for the good of his kingdom.