Forgiveness is a spiritual virtue. And it is deeply practical. Forgiving offenders saves energy and prevents reactions that complicate any troubled situation. To quote the Nike phrase, “Just Do It.”
Emmet Fox was a good friend and collaborator with Bill Wilson. Many have noted that Bill Wilson must have read Emmet’s book, Sermon on the Mount, before writing the Big Book.
As the title suggests, Sermon on the Mount is about the sermon on the mount and is a worthwhile read for this reason alone. But there is more, much more. In the book’s Appendix are essays on the Lord’s Prayer, including a marvelous monograph on forgiving.
In it, Fox describes a forgiveness formula, and it is beautiful. I refer to it as the ‘Emmet Fox Forgiveness App.’
It is a simple and powerful process which, when applied, induces forgiveness. Here it is, paraphrased in bullet format:
The method of forgiving is this:
- Get by yourself and become quiet.
- Repeat any prayer that appeals to you, or read a chapter of the Bible.
- Then quietly say, “I fully and freely forgive X (naming the offender).
- “I loose him or her and let him or her go.
- I completely forgive the whole business in question.
- As far as I am concerned, it is finished forever.
- I place the burden of resentment upon the Christ within me.
- He or she is free now, and I, too, am free.
- I wish him or her well in every phase of life.
- The incident in question is finished.
- The Christ Truth has set us both free.”
- Then, thank God, get up and go about your business.
- Never repeat this; it is once and done. The same people often need serial forgiveness, so if and when a new offence requires forgiveness, apply the app to that offence.
- Whenever the memory of the offender and the incident come into your mind, and they will, bless the delinquent briefly and dismiss the thought.
I use this formula frequently. Many people in my life need forgiveness, and many are repeat offenders.
Use the app shamelessly, don’t worry; you cannot wear it out.
And you don’t even have to mean it to use it. Often, still angry and smarting from the hurt, I have said the words and forgiveness was induced.
I don’t get to the point of affectionate enjoyment of the delinquent; that is not the goal; I only get to a general sense of goodwill when thinking about the miscreant and the incident. But that is enough; holding a general sense of goodwill about a person is Emmet Fox’s definition of love.
It is time for a new Happy Destiny Press product. It is a Forgiveness App that you can load on your phone, with a laminated paper version for the old-school folks.
Forgiveness Series
Forgiveness: A Spiritual Virtue and Practical Tool
Forgiveness and Step 8
Have Forgiveness at Your Fingertips
Forgiving and Amplification
Forgiveness is Layered
Forgiveness is a Habit
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Thanks Andy! Love Emmet Fox’s Sermon on the Mount – thanks for the reminder/refresher on the “Forgiveness App”. I for one will definitely be making more use of it.
Thanks for the note Richard; it is a great book that bears re-reading. And the forgiveness app will never wear out with use.
Will it work if one isn’t a follower of Christ?
How do you alter it?
Interesting framing of your question Doug. Let me pose one in return, what do you mean by the phrase “follower of Christ?”
And here is why I ask that question: forgiveness was a cardinal virtue in the way Christ talked and lived. To follow his example, forgiveness then becomes a cardinal virtue in your life. If you determine that the way Christ lived and talked was not for you, then forgiveness is no longer a cardinal virtue, and you would not bother applying the forgiveness app. Forgiveness is a lesser or no value activity.
I suspect though that what you intended was to ask using the verb believe rather than follow.
That is a less interesting question. I you don’t believe in Christ, historically or theologically, then to throw your resentment on the Christ within you can only be a metaphor for the central animating presence of your spiritual awakening, and hopefully that presence is pointed to forgiveness as an important thing to do.
Yes- this practice is key to keeping myself in Balance (= or with the Christ)
Thanks Andy for sending this
Thanks for the thought. Many will agree.
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Very interesting Andy and Doug! I don’t believe we should forgive “Because Jesus said we should,” but because it makes us a better person. Harbouring resentments, etc, destroy us. Forgiving someone helps us to move on and grow. So for me, I don’t think it’s necessarily an exclusively Christian concept, but a human concept. You don’t have to believe in God to forgive or to be a good person.
Good thought, in fact, great thought.
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