Let's say I did a terrible thing – yesterday while driving drunk, I drove over the curb and killed an eight-year-old child walking home from school. What could I possibly say to the parents that would not sound self-serving? The first and foremost thing that I should not say is "I'm sorry." For this would draw the attention upon me rather than upon the victims; and would be, in a sense, a ridiculous attempt to cloak myself as a suffering victim. Much less hurtful to the family would be a simple – "I did a terrible thing; I apologize to everyone hurt by this." The clean decency of an apology with a frank admission of guilt is much less offensive than an indirect and self-serving plea for sympathy--a suggestion that even now as the offender, I'm "playing games."
On the other hand, Godly sorrow is called for. I have an obligation to my Heavenly Father to confess my guilt to him--to tell him in the closet of repentance that I am sorry; for I have sinned not only against the child and family, but against God.
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