Worldly sorrow is superficial and unproductive, while godly sorrow yields not only repentance, but also a bumper crop of the fruits of God's Holy Spirit.

It sometimes appears that people outside the church have fewer problems and anxieties, having been spared Satan's onslaught of temptation and deception.

True repentance involves pain, particularly emotional pain. To repent is wrenching to the psyche. It really hurts because it is difficult to do.

How often have we wished we could live some part of our lives over again to correct a wrong? God gives us multiple chances to change our character for the better.

We must be able to separate genuine guilt, which is the spiritual equivalent of pain, from false guilt when we call into question God's forgiveness.

The contrite or brokenhearted person finds special favor with God, and a humble or contrite spirit is indeed a precursor to forgiveness and spiritual healing.

Nothing happens in our lives (including repentance) until God initiates it. A change of heart, by God's Holy Spirit, results in a total change of direction.

Many try to run away from the pessimistic view of the future by retreating into the past, a nostalgic participation in the 'good old days.'

To escape Babylon, we must embrace God's work ethic, choosing to serve rather than be served, endeavoring to give extra measure and go the second mile.

Religious narcissists, who identify with the servant who received ten talents, cherry-pick Scripture to enhance their self-love and support their views.

Wisdom is not a trait valued or acquired by youth, but takes second place to strength, beauty, or fun. We get too soon old and too late smart.

Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 emphasizes the brevity and the progressively harder difficulties of life and urges youth to seek God before the decline of old age.

There are three basic causes for discontentment and three strategies to contentment, enabling us to emulate the apostle Paul's content state of mind.