All of us make mistakes by doing and saying things we later regret, and hurting the people we love the most. Simply saying “I’m sorry” is usually not enough. Best-selling author Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas have co-authored the book, , detailing effective ways to mend relationships through meaningful apologies. Dr. Jennifer Thomas shares advice on the importance of an apology – on this latest episode of Connecting Faith. Here’s where the conversation takes us:
What defines an apology? Are the words “I’m sorry” always an essential element of a meaningful apology?
“An apology takes barriers and tears them down so it opens the doorway to forgiveness.”
Dr. Thomas says there are four key “Rs” that describe a meaningful apology:
Expressing regret
Accepting responsibility
Making restitution
Genuinely repenting
Is there one of these areas where our apologies commonly fall short?
When is it the right thing to make that tough declaration – “I was wrong”?
What happens in a scenario where “I’m sorry” isn’t enough? Dr. Thomas breaks down some fascinating statistics on what people expect from an apology.
On the other end of the spectrum, what can we do if we simply don’t want to forgive? And is forgiveness a key component for an apology to be complete?
Is it possible to apologize excessively? Dr. Thomas believes this indeed a problem for some of us.
Is there a built in difference between the apology languages of men and women? And what does the answer mean for our relationships?
We speak to “fake apologies”, which Dr. Thomas notes can sometimes be so ineffective that they’re amusing. If the words “if” or “but” are creeping into your apology, that is a definite red flag.
Read more on Dr. Thomas’ ministry, here at her website.
