Tiired of Apologies

My patience has run out on PMP because every time I turn around, he is apologizing for something. This past week, I called to ask his wife if she would tell the children’s story for the kids in our church. During the service we have a short segment for the children and we have them come forward and sit on the front seats while someone either tells or reads them a story. Since I am the Children’s Ministry Leader, it is my responsibility to schedule people to do this. Since I didn’t want to wait until the last minute I called SP's home to ask her if she would do it. When the phone rang, PMP answered and was quite abrupt when I asked to speak to his wife, he cut me off short, stating that she was talking to an aunt who was here visiting and he would have her call me back. I then asked him if he had a good Christmas, and he again cut me off stating he was in hurry (or something like that). That was this past Wednesday, and today is Friday; church is tomorrow and I have not heard from her yet. PMP is kind of forgetful; therefore, it is my assumption that he forgot. PMP has offended me in several ways in the past three to four years he has pastured in our church, and every time, he apologizes. During the past few days, I have decided I’m tired of the apologies and just simply don’t want to hear another one from him when I go to church this Sabbath. I feel as though I either want to avoid church this week, which would be a mistake, or just ignore his apology.

God has a way of influencing me through my thoughts. He reminds me how I am always asking for forgiveness every time I sin. What would I do if God decided he was tired of hearing me apologize and turn his head away or ignore me? Because of my carnal nature, I want to give into my foolish pride because it will hard for me to go to church and hear another apology that to me seems to mean nothing. As mentioned above, I was planning in my mind to not only skip church, but also cancel the children’s story this week for lack of someone to tell it. I reasoned to myself that this would send them a message that they need to step up to the plate or there will be a vacancy in the position of Children’s Ministry and let them decide for themselves who will do it.

Again, the little voice I believe to be the Spirit of God came into my thoughts and reminded me that this is not the way to handle it, for Mark 11: 25, 26 says: And when ye stand praying , forgive if ye have ought against any that your father also which is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your trespasses. It is amazing how He brought that thought into my mind right “on time.”