I Am Sorry: The Power of Apology

"I am sorry that I ran my mouth last night," I sincerely confessed to the cute twenty-something drummer in the praise band. "How unfair of me to get so animated and unrelenting in my rant of what was right and wrong. Please forgive me. I know I should have been quiet. If I had spoken calmly and with some openness, maybe it would have been alright. The news story you mentioned had just been discussed by someone who had been similarly hurt. You didn't hear that conversation and I treated you as though you had. But I was wrong. I am sorry. Will you forgive me?" I lamented very humbly.

This precious petite young lady tried to minimize my mouth-running-with-no-control rant. "Please accept or reject my apology, but please don't dilute my confession. I have been in prayer and I know I was wrong," I honestly told her.

All 90 pounds of her grabbed me and we hugged like only sisters can hug. Then I shared with her how musically "challenged" I am. So to pray for the band I always pray for the drummers. "So bank on me praying for you to 'get' the beat and keep the rest of the band harmoniously together with the sound that God will give you, " I told her. She lit up with a great smile and throughout the service I would see her radiating that smile as she was a great drummer all night.

Yesterday I shared with you a moment in my life I will treasure forever. God moved in the hearts of 250 women inmates; and all of us in ministry. It was life giving and life changing. I dare to call it revival and there was a sound that broke through the atmosphere when these women prisoners sang without any help from any of us "Holy Holy Holy."

Anyone God uses to join with Him in true revival will be "clean" and they must stay "clean." All during Saturday night when I would awaken I would relive my conversation in that bus with the drummer calmly stating the news report and I would hear my over zealous self.

These 10 words were necessary for me to speak from my heart in order to be clean enough to be a vital part of God's move Sunday night:

I was wrong. I am sorry. Will you forgive me?"