The Drive to School Podcast

When an Apology Is Needed – and When It Isn’t

14 min • 3 december 2024

❓Do you over-apologize?


➡️ It’s appropriate to apologize for genuine wrongs (such as breaking the Ten Commandments).


However, if someone is simply showing us love or care  – this can actually diminish the gift they're trying to give. 🎁


Why? 🤔


When someone helps or supports us, they aren't creating a debt we need to repay. They're expressing love 💞.


Christ showed love through His sacrifice ✝️. We don't owe Jesus an apology for His sacrifice; we owe Him thanks 🙌.


Similarly, when friends and family support us, the appropriate response isn’t "I'm sorry for being a burden 😔" but "thank you for loving me 💖."


📜 The Ten Commandments serve two purposes: they show us what sin is and what sin isn’t.


If you haven't sinned but feel guilty 😟, that's often the devil stirring up shame 😈 where none should exist.


There’s a difference between wronging someone and being someone’s burden.


When we over-apologize for being "burdens", we're often expressing a deeper belief that we're not worthy of being loved or cared for. 💔


✨ We are worth more than gold or silver ✨; we're worth the holy and precious blood of Jesus. 🍷


The path forward isn’t to make ourselves smaller through constant apologies but through gratitude 🙏.


Test guilty feelings by asking the following questions:


✅ Have I actually broken a commandment? ❓

✅ If not, am I diminishing someone’s gift 🎁 by treating it as a debt?

✅ Could "thank you" better honor both their love 💝 and my worth in Christ?


🧡 Remember: You can recognize yourself as a sinner while still accepting that you’re worthy of love.


The gift here is that you are measured by what was paid for you.💰 That's to be received with joy and not embarrassment. 😊


Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.


Contributor Amelia is a college student and HT’s assistant webmaster.


#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #guilt

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