“Love means you never have to say you are sorry.” No one who truly loves another gets by with that philosophy for very long. “I am sorry.” Is only second to “I Love you.” in any relationship. No matter how nice you believe yourself to be, you will deliberately or unintentionally offend someone. How you handle that situation will determine your relationship.
Strong, healthy relationships are based upon trust and nothing builds trust more than apologies and repentance. The confidence that you truly have the best interest of others is based upon your consideration for their feelings. Those individuals that are unable to say, “I am sorry” and change their behavior are destined to a miserable life. Unless you learn to be sorry; you will live a sorry life.
Why people are unable to say “I am sorry.”
Pride: Much rather defend themselves than humbly make peace.
Lack of Sympathy: Do not understand how you could have upset anyone.
Lack of Empathy: Do not care that you have hurt someone, they probably deserved it.
Fear: Others will think you are a bad person, must protect your reputation.
Insecurity: You must be always right.
Stubborn: You do not want to change.
Embarrassed: It reminds you of your weakness.
Repentance is when you:
Listen to what preachers, family, and friends are saying about your behavior.
Find out what the Bible states about your behavior.
Believe what you read in the Bible.
Recognize you must change your opinion about your behavior.
Godly sorrow: you become disappointed for your wrong behavior.
Be humble.
Confess your wrong behavior onto God, and to those who have wronged.
Ask for forgiveness from God and others.
Rectify the problems your behavior has caused.
Take action to change your behavior. Do what you can to forsake your sinful habit
True repentance is a change of mind. A mind ready to allow God to remove any of our character defects. Most people when they say “sorry” are sorry about the predicament of their actions, but not about their way of life. Many people says they are sorry with hopes of never leaving their way of life.
“For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10) This verse speaks of two kinds of sorrow for sin, one working repentance unto salvation (deliverance), the other working unto death (misery).
1. Showing reverence for God motivated in righteous sorrow. You know your behavior is sin
2. That righteous sorrow results in the acknowledgement that your habitual conduct must end.
3. Once you attain this conclusion it will bring you unto your deliverance from the sinful habit that enslaves you.
4. You will never regret this decision to abandon your regular immoral habit.
5. But showing reverence for your sinful behavior motivated in unrighteous sorrow (sorry about your predicament of your actions) will result in a continual state of misery.
Repentance involves a change of opinion respecting your habitual sin and this change of opinion will produce a godly sorrow. You become disgusted with yourself, that you ever could have desired such behavior. An unrepentant attitude toward sin will weaken you physically and spiritually. Humble yourself before God. By faith repent of your destructive ways and God’s grace will come to you. James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. You need God’s grace and His power to control what you have proven time and time again you have no control over. 2 Corinthians 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.