Good morning!
WOW!
As I read today’s lesson in bed last night, I thought about several preceding ones, “My thoughts do not mean anything”, “These thoughts do not mean anything”, “I have given what I see all the meaning it has for me”. Oh, and “I see only the past”.
The sentence in the first paragraph that grabbed my attention was “They (my real thoughts) are nothing that you think you think, just as nothing that you think you see is related to vision in any way.” In paragraph four, I loved, “We will deny the world in favor of truth. We will not let the thoughts of the world hold us back. We will not let the beliefs of the world tell us that what God would have us do is impossible. Instead, we will try to recognize that only what God would have us do is possible.”
Gosh and in the next paragraph, Jesus assures us that what God would have us do is what we want to do, we cannot fail and we can succeed today. Why? “It is the will of God.”
OK, as a practical example of applying this, at least for me.
I try to be sort of politically aware or informed of what’s going on in our country, my understanding of the political arena is superficial at best, to be honest. I am familiar with all the players or most and am cognizant of the major issues; there appear to be innumerable.
Much of the time, I see/perceive nothing but division, divisiveness, attack, counterattack, in short, lots of separation, often, a fair amount of sabotage, intrigue, speculation and theorizing. It is TOOO easy to get caught up in it. Apparently….since I am pretty much inclined now to place all my special relationships with individuals on the altar, I am struggling in generalizing my practice to everything. (Jesus in the Text states we cannot experience the Holy Instant if we do not relinquish all issues with which we struggle, not just the ones that we choose to release.)
All relationships that cause any form of tension, anxiety, judgment, condemnation, taking sides, strong opinions, need I go on?, are unholy or special relationships, period.
SO what if I have placed my relationship with Bill and all others on the altar for transformation, I am still withholding the political arena in the mix from the Holy Spirit’s undoing process. This as well as our beloved dog, Gracie, about whom I worry and obsess and other aspects of my life, even as “trivial or petty” as watching a TV series or movie that I believe cause me to go off the deep end with judgment. The ego’s need to stay alive is that pervasive if and only IF we become aware of its almost octopi-like tentacles that squeeze the life out of its prey.
Honestly, why, just why do I continue to do this?
Because I fear the loss of my identity and I am not yet at the level of trust where I know, I feel, I experience the light, love, peace, strength and grace of God, the gratitude I truly want to feel in knowing I can get in touch with my real thoughts, yes, I can!
Toward the end of the lesson for today, Jesus admonishes us to approach our practice as “you(we) would an altar dedicated in Heaven to God the Father and to God the Son.” He continues with “You (we) will probably be unable as yet to realize how high you (we) are trying to go.” Oh, and he reminds us this practice, this ACIM studying we do is no “idle game”.
We are attempting to reach HEAVEN, WOW!
And we will practice, I will practice, calmly, lovingly, peacefully and just become aware of any resistance and ask for help in releasing it.
The key to successfully experiencing our real thoughts is remembering there is nothing we want to save in our own lives for our own form of resolution, meaning the ego’s way, because when we hold back just a little in any form, we withhold from ourselves and do not get in touch with the thoughts we think with God. Not sure if I want to deprive myself any longer.
Love,
Gayle
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