Hi everyone,
Rev. Deb wrote a powerful post on Lesson 8 this morning. I hope you all get an opportunity to read it.
This lesson certainly packs a wallop!
When Jesus states that whenever we think about the past, we are thinking about illusions!
This thought can actually feel frightening. Since all of us are preoccupied with past thoughts, that means everything we spend our time thinking about means nothing.
Think about the first seven lessons. As Jesus stated yesterday, we see only the past because of all of the previous lessons’ messages.
Our minds are blank, we think they’re filled with meaningful thoughts from the past, they are not.
An example.
I have tormented myself about what I could have done differently when I worked in the corporate world for three decades, in Syracuse, NY, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Chicago as Bill’s positions often necessitated our relocating.
I had a staff of managers, etc., and I know, objectively speaking or so I thought, that I could have been a much more effective and productive leader/manager/boss overall.
I cannot tell you how many hours over the last years since I left this world to join my husband in his business, I have second-guessed myself and, seriously, crucified myself for all the mistakes/”sins” I committed.
NOW…I see it was futile, everything I thought had no meaning, everything I thought about my “failure”, if you will, was an illusion.
Gosh, when I write more about this, today’s lesson is liberating.
If I recognize/acknowledge that my mind is preoccupied with past thoughts and it is actually blank, why, pray tell, do I continue to focus on it? All I need do is practice the lesson as directed, no need to dissect or analyze it.
It means nothing.
Ah, I am slowly getting it.
As I relax and release my desperate need to understand what I am applying, the truth emerges, it comes forth.
Easy does it.
Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Gayle
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Gayle I have listened to all the podcastes from MIRACLES ONE and I love how you tell it. You use yourself as the example and while I think your so hard on yourself i get so much from the point. From my heart thank you for the person that you are and for the wisdom that your give.
Hi there,
Well, thank you so very much for your kind and loving words, I am deeply touched. And, yes, I am very hard on myself; I think it may be a defense mechansim. If I am hard on myself and I acknowledge my areas of opportunity, perhaps, others won’t judge me as harshly or critically. Don’t know as it would be terribly unconscious on my part, but I am working to do less immediate apologizing and make fewer self-denigrating remarks. How? By just relaxing, deeply breathing and asking Jesus to join me when I practice the daily lesson. It seems to help, I feel less robotic about it. Less harried and hurried. Thanks again, Margaret, your post meant so much to me. Love, Gayle