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Apologies

A friend of mine recently told me about a phone call she received from an individual who had seriously wronged her and betrayed her trust. Ostensibly, he called to apologize, but the more he talked, the more she realized his "apology" wasn't an apology at all. He was actually trying to ascertain whether she was going to take legal action against him (yep, it was THAT bad).

As she was telling me about the incident, I couldn't help but feeling convicted. How many times had I offered just such an apology to God?

That story was a painful wake-up call to me. All too often, we (read: I) go to God with what appears to be a broken spirit and a contrite heart and offer up what sounds like a heartfelt apology...when in actuality, we are simply hoping to avoid some tangible punishment for our actions.

Unfortunately for us, just like my friend did, God sees through the fake apology to what is actually in our hearts. Yet it is by His undying mercy that we are not all consumed. 

The truth is this: the words "I'm sorry" do not equal an apology. In fact, if mere words are all you have to offer, you might as well keep them. What God desires from us is an actual broken spirit and a contrite heart. With those comes a desire and commitment to righteousness to the point of inconvenience. Anything less is a waste of time. Period.
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