How does it feel when someone apologizes when they’re not sorry? It’s as if they were put up to it, or are simply trying to appease the person they’ve upset. When someone apologizes to me this way, I get frustrated because the other person and I haven’t rectified the issue, and what they’re apologizing for is just going to happen again.

Optimally, before I apologize, I try to see things from the other person’s perspective to really understand why they were affected by my words or actions. If I cannot see why someone could have gotten upset in the first place, it’s easy to assume the issue is not with me. Once I understand where the person is coming from, I can take responsibility for my actions, and find a way to avoid making the same mistake in the future. If I don’t do this, my apology is empty.

Pastor Zedick titled his sermon, “The words Adam Should Have Said.” When Adam was caught eating from the tree of knowledge, did he apologize to God and ask forgiveness? No – he instead threw Eve under the bus. Would the outcome have been different if he owned up to his sin and asked forgiveness?

God knows everything. He sees and hears every action we take. We cannot hide anything from him. To apologize with words alone would be absolutely pointless. So when we come to God for forgiveness, we need to acknowledge our sin. God made us imperfect, and knows that we’re going to make mistakes. Yet just as in life, our mistakes will help us grow if we’re accountable for ourselves, go to God for forgiveness, and seek the strength and wisdom to discontinue the action that caused us to sin. I think that God wants a relationship with us where we can come to him openly with our mistakes, take responsibility, ask forgiveness, and allow him to change our hearts and minds so that we can continue to grow. Click here to hear the recorded sermon.