Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity - August

THE FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS OF PROSPERITY

August: Forgiveness

 

Remember that forgiveness is like peeling an onion. We may start with the outer layers, and then find that there is more that we did not consciously realize. You will know you have forgiven completely when you can speak about the incident without any negative energy. It takes ruthless honesty to know when forgiveness is complete.

Over the many years since the founding of Unity, many people have experienced the need to forgive. Charles Fillmore sat for 2 hours every evening working on forgiveness. Twelve-Step spirituality includes it as one of the steps. When it was adapted it for the Master Mind process, forgiveness found a place there as well. Clearly, it is central to Christianity and to the teachings of Unity. 

In the prosperity principle, we learn that as we give we also receive. The Bible also equates the giving of forgiveness to receiving it. Jesus taught forgiveness as a way to freedom and healing. We know that judgment is something that only God can do, so we find ourselves healed in letting go of the job that is not ours. Through forgiveness, we loosen our grip on our ego-self being in control, and allow God to be God. 

In Against an Infinite Horizon, Ronald Rollheiser says, “We are the ongoing incarnation of God, the anointed ones of God, Christ.” He goes on to say that this incarnation, we as Christ, gives us the power to give healing and forgiveness as Jesus did. “If we forgive someone, that person is forgiven because Christ is forgiving him or her. If children of ours, or anyone else we love, no longer go to church, our love for them and their love for us bind them solidly to the body of Christ.” Forgiveness is a powerful thing, and we have the authority to forgive as Christ.

 

What the Bible says:

 

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37

“He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” Luke 4:18

“Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.” Rom 14:4

 

What Unity says:

 

“The next step is to put your selfishness away. There cannot be two in the kingdom. It is the kingdom of God, and man must give up.” Charles Fillmore, Jesus Christ Heals

“In denying the reality of sin, send out your freeing thought to others as well as to yourself. Do not hold anyone in bondage to the thought of sin. If you do, it will pile up and increase in power according to the laws of mental action.” Charles Fillmore, Jesus Christ Heals 

“True repentance is always followed by forgiveness, which is a complete wiping out of the error thought from consciousness and a full deliverance from the inharmony that the error thought has produced.” Charles Fillmore, Mysteries of Genesis

“If anyone tries to free himself while holding others in the thought of sin, he will not demonstrate his freedom.” Charles Fillmore, Jesus Christ Heals

 

Ideas for practice:

 

 

  •     Select a passage or passages from above that are meaningful to you. Memorize and use them in your prayer. Throughout the day, whenever you feel the need to forgive, use them as affirmations that will help focus your mind on the Christ and loosen the grip of unforgiveness. 

 

  •  Another way of thinking about forgiveness is letting go. We are all familiar with the feeling of closing our fist on something in order to keep it. As we do so, we have lost our hand. We lose something when we hang onto an unfair or wrong deed. An essential step in prosperity is to clear out what we no longer need in order to be open to receive our good. Are you holding onto things (physical, mental or spiritual) that you no longer need? Practice letting go with the ones that are easiest first—you could do this by clearing out the refrigerator, the office file cabinet, or even your sock drawer! Feel the relief of letting go of what no longer serves. Then, try visualizing yourself forgiving a specific person, and bring this feeling of relief into the picture. Write about this experience in your journal. 

 

  • Take these ideas into the silence. Picture the Christ within you as a bright light of healing and forgiveness. As you do so, bring persons into that light who you want to forgive. Practice this repeatedly until you are able to let go of any grievances.

 

  • Discuss your practice with your prayer triad. What do you notice is happening with your companions or with yourself? Commit to hold each other in the forgiving light of love in your daily prayer between meetings.