To whom should I apologize?

1 Chronicles 21:8Then David said to God, “I have sinned greatly . . . Please forgive my guilt for doing this foolish thing.”

Psalm 51:4Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.

First, we should apologize to God. Any wrong we do saddens our Creator who desires our obedience. Sometimes we sin only against God. Our thought life is an example. We should be sure to confess these sins to him. He will always forgive.

Matthew 18:15“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.”

Luke 15:18“I will go home to my father and say, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you.’”

When we have done something wrong that has hurt someone else, we need to apologize to that person. An apology may not remove the consequences of our actions, but it will make room for forgiveness, remove some of the pain, and bring about a restoration of the relationship. This will give us a clear conscience and a fresh start.