If you really want to manifest God's love and grace in your life, you must learn to forgive, and to ask for forgiveness.
It is one of the shortest sentences, yet it's one of the hardest to say -- "I am sorry". Why? I guess it's because of the fear of rejection, the anticipation of the loss of face, of having to take on a submissive stance rather than having the "upperhand" which is encouraged in this day and age.
I recently said, "I am sorry" to someone I offended. A few months ago, I was adamant that he should say sorry to me, because I was the offended one. But the anticipation of having to come face-to-face with that person in a few weeks was bearing down my heart. Then, sentences began forming in my mind, like how they should be written in a letter. I swatted them away like they were pesky flies every time they came buzzing in my mind. As they became more persistent, I knew that God was directing me to write. Finally, I had to surrender to God's insistence. I began to write with the mindset to also tell that person how he had offended me, but God directed me to simply ask for forgiveness.
When we ask for forgiveness we cannot shoot back at the person and say, "I'm sorry but you were the reason I did it in the first place." When that person reacts in the way you didn't expect, you get even more offended. Humility, complete and utter humility, is what God desires for us. The response of that other person to your "I'm sorry" is inconsequential. What is most important is your obedience.
Lord God, thank you for showing me through Your son, Jesus, how to be humble and obedient. It's really very hard, because pride always gets in the way. Please help me weaken my pride and strengthen my meekness.
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