[acimlessons_list] Lesson 242 - August 30

[Sue Roth]

Lesson 242 - August 30

"THIS DAY IS GOD'S. IT IS MY GIFT TO HIM."

PRACTICE INSTRUCTIONS

See complete Part II practice instructions. 
A short summary:

* READ the commentary paragraph slowly and personally.

* PRAY the prayer, perhaps several times.

* MORNING AND EVENING: Repeat the idea and then spend time in Open Mind
Meditation.

* HOURLY REMEMBRANCE: Repeat the idea and then spend a quiet moment in
meditation.

* FREQUENT REMINDERS: Repeat the idea often within each hour.

* RESPONSE TO TEMPTATION: Repeat the idea whenever upset, to restore peace.

* READ THE "WHAT IS" SECTION slowly and thoughtfully once during the day.

COMMENTARY

"I will not lead my life alone today" (1:1).

In a day that seems rushed and over full with things to do, it is a relief
to remember that I need not lead my life alone. I can burden myself with a
thousand little decisions, or I can relax into His hands. I may list what
needs to be done, but I can let go of all attachment to doing any of them.
In each moment, I can trust that I will know what to do next, and that my
choice will be perfect.

What is important, however, is not the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but His
companionship. I will not be alone today, although I may have no other human
presence with me. I can consciously be with God, and God with me. Instead of
talking out loud to myself, why not talk out loud to Jesus? He is a much
wiser companion than my limited mind.

"I do not understand the world, and so to try to lead my life alone must be
but foolishness" (1:2).

There is such resistance in me, in us all, to realizing that we do not and
cannot understand the world. I understand nothing. My awareness of what is
going on is about one five-billionth of just our physical planet and its
people. I know nothing of other planets and galaxies, and I am nearly
totally unaware of the numberless realms beyond the physical--spirit beings,
angels, ascended Masters, whatever there may be. I don't know that the clerk
in the laundry may need a smile, or whatever else is going on in minds
apparently separated from me. How can I even think of rationally deciding
what to do, where to go, what to say, all on my own?

Some event occurs, such as an appointment being juggled around from one time
to another and finally settling on the time I least wanted (by my
preferences). If I think I understand what is going on, if I think my
preference is all that matters, I could be upset. If I realize I don't
understand the world, I let go, I accept, I trust. And I show up at my
friend's door minutes after she has heard the news about a friend's sudden
death, present to comfort her when she needs it. And, not coincidentally,
prepared by an afternoon of discussing death with another friend, when I had
no idea why I agreed to take time for that discussion when I had other
things I thought important to do. How foolish not to let Him lead me!

So today, again, I resign as my own teacher and settle a bit more deeply
into the awareness that I do not know, I do not understand, and knowing that
is wisdom. I release this day into God's hands; "It is my gift to Him." This
is a really good deal! I let go of my day, and He makes it full of miracles!
That's what He wants it for. It takes great effort, at first, to let go of
wanting to understand. But when I do, nothing but joy follows.

But there is One Who knows all that is best for me. And He is glad to make
no choices for me but the ones that lead to God. I give this day to Him, for
I would not delay my coming home, and it is He Who knows the way to God.
(1:3-5)

"Best for me" doesn't necessarily mean that I will get done all I think I
have to do, or that everything will work out perfectly (in my eyes) in form.
Often it does mean that, but sometimes not. "Best for me" means the things
"that lead to God." It means "coming home" and making progress on "the way
to God." Because that is all that life in this world is for. "The healing of
God's Son is all the world is for" (T-24.VI.4:1), and nothing else. If I
give my day to God, to the Holy Spirit, I will end the day closer to God,
nearer home; that is my goal every day of my life. Nothing else. All other
events are stage props for this one unfolding drama.

No matter what else may happen, if I spend this day more conscious of Jesus'
companionship, a little more often at peace, a little more joyful in every
minute or a few more minutes spent joyfully, it is a success.

<And so we give today to You. We come with wholly open minds. We do not ask
for anything that we may think we want. Give us what You would have received
by us. You know all our desires and our wants. And You will give us
everything we need in helping us to find the way to You>. (2:1-6)

"Wholly open minds." No preconceptions about what should take place.
"Wholly" means totally, completely open. As for what we expect to come,
anything can fail to happen and we are not distraught. As for what we do not
expect, anything can come, and we are not dismayed. I recognize that my mind
does not want to be wholly open. For instance, I think if I did not finish
writing my article before lunch I might be upset. If I have that thought,
let me see it is only my thought. Not a fact. What other things am I
attached to today? Jesus, I want to be wholly open. And it isn't easy.

How can I let go of my wants and needs? By remembering that "You know all
our desires and our wants." He knows what I think I need, and I do not need
to ask Him for those things. He knows. And if the day does not bring what I
think I want, it is not because He did not know, or that He lost my case
file, or that He is punishing me for some imaginary guilt. It is because
what I thought I wanted was not best for me. The Holy Spirit is not
inconsiderate nor forgetful. He "will give us everything we need in helping
us to find the way to" God. Let me let down the defenses of my planning
mind, and follow this advice: "Let no defenses but your present trust direct
the future, and this life becomes a meaningful encounter with the truth that
only your defenses would conceal" (W-pI.135.19:2).

What Is the World?

PART 2: W-PII.3.1:4-5

If the world is simply the effect of the thought of separation in my mind,
then obviously it is true that

when the thought of separation has been changed to one of true forgiveness,
will the world be seen in quite another light, and one which leads to truth.
(1:4)

The antidote for the thought of separation is true forgiveness. If the
Course is a course in changing our thoughts, the thoughts that are being
changed are separation thoughts, and they are being changed into thoughts of
true forgiveness. The "wall" that keeps us separate is our unforgiveness,
our grievances, our judgment upon one another as undeserving of love. The
result of changing those thoughts to thoughts of forgiveness is that we see
the world very differently. Instead of a world of judgment we see the real
world. Instead of enemies we see brothers. And the vision of this real world
"leads to truth," beyond perception to knowledge; beyond the real world to
Heaven.

This light "leads to truth, where all the world must disappear and all its
errors vanish" (1:4). In other words, as we've already seen, the progression
is from "the world" (the result of the thought of separation) to "the real
world" (the result of the thought of forgiveness) and then to "Heaven" (the
truth), where there is no world at all.

The process we are going through in the world is the healing of our thoughts
of separation. As those thoughts are healed, we begin to see the real world
more and more, a world in which only love is reflected. But when the thought
of separation is <entirely> healed in every part of every fragment of the
mind, the world will not simply be seen differently; it will disappear. "Now
its source [the thought of separation] has gone, and its effects [the world
and all its errors] are gone as well" (1:5).