Sorrowing of the Damned

By Larry Doyle Crenshaw

MeditationsInLight.Blogspot.com

One state of soulful regret is called “Godly sorrow”

And “sorrowing of the damned” is a different term

Each lamenting like souls raked with a harrow

Who, dreading God’s judgement, writhe and squirm

As we advance from infancy into toddlerhood and begin to use real words and phrases, our parents quickly introduce us to the social obligation of saying to others we have offended, “I’m sorry.”  It takes a while for the phrase to sink in, because in those early ages and stages, saying that we are sorry and actually feeling sorry are often two very different things.  Hence, the rather constant encouragement by others who feel offended to pry an “I’m sorry” out of us. 

Eventually, we develop the ability to truly observe how our behavior affects us and others.  If all goes well and we survive childhood’s typical traumas, we develop an increasing capacity for a wide range of emotional response to life and to others, including the experience and the expression of sorrow in a variety of situations. 

If God and religion are part of our upbringing, then the concepts of personal sin, guilt, and Godly sorrow become ingrained –more or less.  We feel badly inside ourselves when we have offended or caused others pain.  At some point we are deeply affected by the realization that an Atonement was arranged so that our repentance would be effectual. Thus we become motivated to take corrective action, or in other words we repent. 

Regrettably, some grow up and never quite tune into remorse, guilt, or the need to repent for errant behavior.  For them life is not a window into the world of others, but a fragile mirror that reflects only their wants, desires, and emotions – not others.  Nonetheless, they remember well the childhood education in sorrow.  The downside is that they apply sorrow not to their own errant actions, but the unfortunate consequences they must endure.  Thus, the thief does not regret that he stole money, but is sorry that he got caught and punished.  The lifelong sinner regrets not his behavior, but sorrows for the actual or anticipated consequences.

Thus, the scriptures refer to the “sorrowing of the damned” – a sorrow not borne of guilt for sin, but of pain for anticipated penalties.  This concept becomes our focus in this meditative verse where we voice the warning:

God will not always suffer sinners to take pleasure in sin

For their day of grace will expire in the third estate

When time is no longer - with no time to repent therein

Then, for the damned, sorrow will be their eternal fate

Sorrowing of the Damned

Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land because of these things, and more especially among the people of Nephi.  And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous people.  But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.  And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die.

Book of Mormon   Mormon 2:11-15

One state of soulful regret is named “Godly sorrow”

And “sorrowing of the damned” is a different term

Each lamenting like souls raked with a harrow

Who, dreading God’s judgement, writhe and squirm

Both sorrows induce pain regardless of cause

But differ in their fidelity to Christ the Lamb

Godly sorrow leads to reconciliation to God’s laws

Impenitence, to the sorrowing of the damned

One sees a soul turning; the other a soul burning

Godly sorrowers embrace the path of the penitent

Others churn and burn with unrequited yearning

For things vile, immoral, base and decadent

The unrepented seek not Jesus with broken hearts

But curse God and wish that they might hide

From His gaze, and the judgement He imparts

Indulging malignant sin, avarice and pride

God will not always suffer sinners to take pleasure in sin

For their day of grace will expire in the third estate

When time is no longer - with no time to repent therein

Then, for the damned, sorrow will be their eternal fate

Larry Doyle Crenshaw