Sorry Isn’t Enough | Judges 10:10-14

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Our text today is Judges 10:10-14.

And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” And the Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” — Judges 10:10-14

Israel finally cried out to God after years of misery. But this time God pushed back. He basically said, “I’ve rescued you before, and you ran right back to idols. Why should this time be any different?”

That’s the moment when regret had to become repentance. It wasn’t enough to admit failure. Israel had to do more than cry out—they had to truly turn from idols.

This is the difference between worldly regret and godly repentance. Regret says, “I don’t like the consequences.” Repentance says, “I hate the reason that got me here — my disobedience.”

We’ve all been there. We regret getting caught in a lie—but do we hate lying? We regret the hangover—but do we hate drunkenness? We regret the fallout of anger—but do we hate the pride that sparked it?

God isn’t after our half-hearted apologies. He wants surrendered hearts. He’ll even let us sit in our misery until we get serious enough to put away our idols.

Maybe you are caught in the spin cycle right now—sin, sorrow, repeat. Maybe you’ve even prayed prayers that felt empty. The way out is always the same: not just regret, but repentance. Not just “sorry,” but surrender. That means getting brutally honest with God—not just naming what you did, but admitting why you wanted it. Then, ask him to change your desires, to help you hate the sin itself, and to love him more. That’s where real freedom begins.

ASK THIS:

Do I confuse regret with repentance in my life?
What idols have I said “sorry” for but never actually removed?
How might God be using misery to push me toward surrender?
Am I willing to put away the counterfeit gods and trust Him fully?
DO THIS:
Don’t just confess—clean house. Remove one “idol” today that competes with God’s place in your heart. Then get honest with God about why you chased it, and ask Him to reshape your desires.

PRAY THIS:
Lord, I don’t just want to regret my sin—I want to repent of it. Expose the motives behind it, and give me a heart that hates sin and loves You more. Amen.

PLAY THIS:
"We Repent."