Relationships can flourish in the soil of humility & forgiveness. Blame, guilt, and anger are poisonous. When someone opens up to how your comments or actions hurt them, it’s not a time to tell how they should or shouldn’t feel. Apologizing isn’t always agreeing, don’t see it as a win or lose situation, it can be just acknowledging another’s pain & validating their feelings.

Lastly, a cycle of hurtful behavior followed by an apology, followed by more hurtful behavior, followed by an apology, can become a pattern of abuse. Part of repentance is forsaking sin. Are you trending in the right direction? Is the offense becoming less and less frequent?

Don’t sabotage your relationships with pride & sin. Humbly ask the Lord for His help. Genuinely ask your loved ones for forgiveness. Give your very best to those who matter most.