Intentional Series: Relationships
Relationships.
I'm sorry.
Those words can go a long way.
And sometimes they don't.
Depending on the tone of voice, the size of the infraction, and even the heart of the recipient or giver of those words.
Sometimes I'm sorry just isn't enough.
For the longest time I saw the action of saying "I'm sorry" tied with the action of "expressing regret."
If a person apologized but did not express regret along with it, the apology fell flat to me. Were they really sorry....?
A couple years ago I came across the "5 Apology Languages," written by Gary Chapman, the same man who wrote "The 5 Love Languages."
I took a short quiz and found out of the 5 different Apology Languages, my main one was "Expressing Regret." Go figure.
As I read through the 5 different types I realized that the apologies that have come from my closest family over the years really have been legit apologies....just in a different Language.
Expressing Regret
Accept Responsibility
Make Restitution
Genuinely Repent
Request Forgiveness
Now, a true apology really should have a bit of all of those in it. But each of us tend to speak with one more than the others. Finding what Apology Language I tend to speak, and what the others types are, has helped me to better understand, and accept, apologies when they are spoken to me from a different Language.
This week, I challenge you to take this short quiz for yourself. Find out what your Apology Language is. And then take some time to think through your closest relationships.
Are there some apologies that still need to be said by you?
Are there some apologies that you need to accept, softening your own heart to a different apology language that has been spoken to you?
Apologies and Forgiveness are two things that can make or break relationships.
We are all flawed. We are all gong to mess up. We are all going to hurt one another at some point in time, even if we don't mean to.
But what are you going to do with it when the time comes? Hold on to pride, harboring in your heart that surely it's the other person's fault entirely.... or seek out a humble heart. Sometimes the fault is entirely one sided, I'm not discounting that. But there are often two sides to every story, and your side just may have an apology that needs to be said.
This week, let's intentionally look at our relationships, seek for a humble heart, take a truthful look at our own stance, and look to make apologies where needed.
Perhaps in a Language that the other person best understands.
With Intention,
Nichole
Those words can go a long way.
And sometimes they don't.
Depending on the tone of voice, the size of the infraction, and even the heart of the recipient or giver of those words.
Sometimes I'm sorry just isn't enough.
For the longest time I saw the action of saying "I'm sorry" tied with the action of "expressing regret."
If a person apologized but did not express regret along with it, the apology fell flat to me. Were they really sorry....?
A couple years ago I came across the "5 Apology Languages," written by Gary Chapman, the same man who wrote "The 5 Love Languages."
I took a short quiz and found out of the 5 different Apology Languages, my main one was "Expressing Regret." Go figure.
As I read through the 5 different types I realized that the apologies that have come from my closest family over the years really have been legit apologies....just in a different Language.
Expressing Regret
Accept Responsibility
Make Restitution
Genuinely Repent
Request Forgiveness
Now, a true apology really should have a bit of all of those in it. But each of us tend to speak with one more than the others. Finding what Apology Language I tend to speak, and what the others types are, has helped me to better understand, and accept, apologies when they are spoken to me from a different Language.
This week, I challenge you to take this short quiz for yourself. Find out what your Apology Language is. And then take some time to think through your closest relationships.
Are there some apologies that still need to be said by you?
Are there some apologies that you need to accept, softening your own heart to a different apology language that has been spoken to you?
Apologies and Forgiveness are two things that can make or break relationships.
We are all flawed. We are all gong to mess up. We are all going to hurt one another at some point in time, even if we don't mean to.
But what are you going to do with it when the time comes? Hold on to pride, harboring in your heart that surely it's the other person's fault entirely.... or seek out a humble heart. Sometimes the fault is entirely one sided, I'm not discounting that. But there are often two sides to every story, and your side just may have an apology that needs to be said.
This week, let's intentionally look at our relationships, seek for a humble heart, take a truthful look at our own stance, and look to make apologies where needed.
Perhaps in a Language that the other person best understands.
With Intention,
Nichole
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