Making You Sorry  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. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.  (2 Corinthians 7:8-10)   This ministry has been criticised by many acqaintances in the Christian community. The consensus of opinion in these circles seems to be "you only preach gloom and doom, condemning people all the time, not showing that Jesus loves us."  It's therefore comforting to read that others have had the same experience.    In this passage of scripture we read that Paul states that he is not sorry for the words that he wrote, because these words made the recipients sorry, that they sorrowed unto repentance.    He is writing now to those who sorrowed after a godly manner and not to those who sorrowed after a worldly manner. Because these last didn't like what they heard and probably stopped reading.    In another epistle Paul wrote: Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?  (Galatians 4:16)   Therefore those who knew godly sorrow of their sins and repented of them, were saved by God's grace, were able to grow in Christ and available, to read Paul's next letter to the church in Corinth.  You see, his letter that made them sorrow, sorted out the wheat from the chaff. The chaff were blown away by the wind of self and the wheat were cleansed by the wind of the Holy Spirit.    Paul also wrote in another letter "My concern is not what man thinks of me, only of what God thinks of me."  Makes one think, doesn't it.    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. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you. Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.  (2 Corinthians 7:11-13)