Many problems of the heart can often be fixed by just one simple word. This word frees offenders from guilt and condemnation, and allows for healing, reconciliation, and the closing of open wounds. However, it is probably the hardest word to say, and is often avoided by many.
That word is "sorry."
Why it's Hard to Say
Saying sorry is hard because it entails many things, and not just the release of the two-syllable word from our lips.
First, it entails the aspect of honestly admitting our fault. All of us want to be acquitted or freed from any mistake or charge. That's why since the fall, man has been trying to hide from God and escape punishment; or has been trying to return to the Garden of Eden and experience the bliss of life once more. We all want to be declared free from sin so that we could go there.
Second, it involves the necessary act of surrender. Admitting our faults and apologising means we are putting ourselves at the mercy of the one we offended, who can either respond graciously and accept us, or unfavourably and reject us. This is the reason why some are afraid of saying sorry to God: because they don't know that He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Third, it also involves with it the necessary aspect of restitution. This means restoring or giving back to whom it is due. It means returning what we have stolen, replacing what we have broken, repaying what we owe. It means taking back all the slander and lies, and making it right.
In all, saying sorry entails taking responsibility for our mistakes, sins, and unexpected mishaps. Still, saying sorry and following through is worth all the effort, because it will free us.
The Powerful Eject Button
We can think of the word "sorry" as an eject button that launches a plane's ejector seat. Think that you're a pilot, flying the plane of life at a very high altitude and at top cruising speed. The higher you go, the more dangerous the fall. The faster you get, the closer to danger you become.
When your altitude, or pride, goes up, it's very dangerous. Proverbs 16:18 tells us, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."
When you go too fast, or go through life without checking your heart for any issues, that's dangerous, too. Psalm 4:4 tells us, "Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still."
Coming to God in humble repentance, saying "sorry" for your faults and sincerely meaning it actually acts like an eject button that throws us out of our scenario. No, we're not automatically taken out of the problem, but when our ejector seats are out of the plane, we place ourselves in the mighty hands of our God. This is why 1 John 1:9-10 tells us,
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
Let's all learn to be responsible for the wrongs we make. Let's be humble enough to repent and say sorry to God and the people we offend.
