Godly Sorrow

Tuesday our son Gabe (5 yrs.) asked a great question. He asked my wife, his mother, Stephanie, "Mom, why can't I ask Jesus to forgive all of my sins instead of remembering them all one at a time?"

Here is the beauty of the question. First, when we pray together at bed time we don't rehearse all our individual sins, we just ask for forgiveness and that God will help us be better people. That means that Gabe has some how, some where, gained the ability to understand the responsibility for individual sins. Second, the question tells me that Gabe has been thinking about his sins and how God forgives them.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 7:10, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow bring death." (NIV). I don't want my kids to be sorrowful and unhappy in life. But there is a need in all of us to be sorrowful when we have made errors. Gabe's question is the beginning of what I hope is a greater understanding of God's salvation and forgiveness through Jesus.