Repentance That Needs Not to Be Repented of.
True repentance under afflictions which have come in consequence of sin cares much more about the removal of the sin and the cleansing of the heart than it does for the removal of the affliction. It will submit to God because of His goodness. It will seek His favor for righteousness’ sake, and will be faithful even tho the Lord permit the affliction to remain; but it will have exceeding sorrow because of the sin itself. So David repented of his sin in numbering Israel, recorded in 2 Samuel 24. When he was given choice of judgments he would not choose, he preferred to leave it all with God. And then when the Lord sent the pestilence he said, “Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; . . . let Thine hand, I pray Thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.” Godly sorrow and true repentance will know what is true mourning for sin rather than a whining because of the consequences of sin.