A Request for Forgiveness

Have you ever gotten a sincere apology from someone who had treated you wrong, but the words spoken did not seem to fulfill what you needed to hear? Author Gary Chapman (and counselor Jennifer Thomas) of The Five Languages of Apology suggest there is a reason for that.

Just as everyone on the Earth has a primary love language (quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch) that makes them feel cared for when it is consistently demonstrated by others (or God).

All human beings have a primary apology language that satisfies their perception of true remorse by another human being.  With it, relationships can be mended (to wholeness).

The five languages of apology include:

1.   Expressing Regret-“I am sorry.”

2.   Accepting Responsibility-“I was wrong.”

3.   Making Restitution-“What can I do to make it right?”

4.   Genuinely Repenting-“I’ll try not to do that again.”

5.   Requesting Forgiveness-“Will you please forgive me?”

 Do you have someone that either needs your forgiveness (or you need to apologize to)? Proverbs 18:19 (NLT) says, “An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city. Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.”

The imagery of an inability access a person is clear in this verse. Why do this to yourself. When all is said and done, is your anger and pride worth it all of the hostility?

For some time now, possibly God has been nudging you to make things right with… (You alone know that person.) What are you waiting for? Have you built a negative scenario in your mind that may never come true?

Consider this serious, undesirable promise from the Almighty given in Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT). “If you forgive those who sin against you, your Heavenly Father will forgive you.  But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

We all want God’s forgiveness in giving us another chance to make things right. You know what you need to do. I pray you will be the bigger person in doing what will make God happy.