Repentance is the hardest thing to learn because it requires the very thing that comes least naturally: humility. Yet it is a prerequisite to true peace (both with God and with each other). I saw the following on Zach’s blog and thought I would repost it here.
The Bible says that God gives grace to the humble. Sometimes, being humble means saying “I am sorry” first.
Think about it. Don’t you find it relatively easy to apologize if the other person says, “I am sorry,” first? Saying it first is sometimes hard to swallow.
You would never claim perfection in marriage. You just believe your spouse was more wrong; he or she ought to say “I am sorry first.” Maybe you clattered your bowl into the kitchen sink and shut the door with a grumpy bang on your way to work this morning and left the milk out for good measure. What silly games we play.
Remember Proverbs 3:34 says, “God mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.” Let your pride go. God mocks mighty mockers, but blesses the broken.
Do you want a special measure of God’s grace? Here is what you do. Flip open your phone and pound speed dial. Follow this script, “I am sorry, I was wrong, will you please forgive me.” Do not, I repeat, “do not,” find yourself continuing after the apology with a criticism of the other person.
You may or may not get a corresponding apology in response. But, you can be assured of the grace of God at work in your life. God blesses the broken.
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(From Zach)
I have often wondered why I can hesitate to ask for forgiveness from my wife or anyone else when at the heart of the Gospel is my need to seek forgiveness from God through Christ. Seems as though this is a very common disconnect in our faith and practice. May it not be so.
The Gospel tells me I am a sinner. Do I believe it? If so, why is it a big shocker that I would need to ask forgiveness from someone on a horizontal level?
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Repentance
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Dustin you would never hesitate to apologize to your wife now would you?
love you Dust and you are a very good man.