Ripley and Worthington’s FREE model stands for Forgiving and Reconciling
through Experiencing Empathy (2014). Through a collaborative effort of the
four steps, decide, discuss, detoxify, and devote, a couple can work towards
and achieve forgiveness. First, a couple has to make the decision and commit
to forgiveness even though they don’t feel it, then they spend time in
humble discussion and confession of the offense, thier differing perspectives,
and the accompanying feelings. Detoxification occurs through the
interventions of replacing the negative emotions of unforgiveness by
creating positive emotions like empathy, sympathy, love, and compassion
(Ripley & Worthington, 2014). Lastly, devotion occurs through continued
work and maintenance.
I appreciate several aspects of the FREE model. First, it reminds me of our
story of forgiveness through Christ and how we are called to love as he loved
(James 13:34). God loved us, forgave us, and reconciled us to Him through
Christ who came to live among, empathize, teach, and make a way for us
(John 3:16, Romans 5:8, John 1:14, 2 Corinthians 5:19). Second, the model
states there are two types of forgiveness, decisional and emotional, that are
related to one another but also separate. Ephesians 4:32 says, " Be kind to
one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave
you" (ESV). Deuteronomy 30:19 says, “I have set before you life and death,
