"I'm Sorry: Step 9"
by David Kauffman
from Twelve: Healing Songs for Recovery

Every Christian knows that we are supposed to forgive. It’s easy to say, easy to read about in the Bible and nearly impossible to practice after someone has really hurt us. Part of the secret of practicing forgiveness is akin to learning any new skill. We’re more likely to succeed if we start with “baby steps.” 

Contemporary Christian musician David Kauffman takes that approach with “I’m Sorry.” Instead of tackling a major wrong done to him, he sings about something he did to a playmate when he was kid. 

Kauffman’s lyrics put forgiveness in a context  that many people find easier to grasp. “I’m Sorry” has become an underground “hit” at religious retreats across the country.  It’s often used as a “jumping off point” for discussions about the nature of forgiveness.

PRACTICE
Take a listen. Think about a minor transgression you’ve committed, something that you know was wrong.  Maybe you cut someone off in traffic or let a caustic remark fly when you should have held your tongue.

Imagine how you’d ask for forgiveness for the transgression. Then reflect on the people that you need to forgive. Start out small and work your way up to the larger transgressions as you let go of the anger.     

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