Hi there,
I found reading Ken Wapnick’s take on this lesson most helpful, I hope you do too:
To “And you can recognize the answer, because the problem has been identified.” (2:6):
“The crucial aspect in this process is not the answer as such, but identifying where and what the problem is. Again, simply stated, the problem is my decision to push away God’s Love so I can continue to be right, to be a special individual. That is the problem. Once I recognize it and can look without judging myself, I have availed myself of the answer. The process of healing does not lie in affirming the Holy Spirit’s answer, but in recognizing the problem. It is the undoing of the ego by looking without guilt or fear that allows the Atonement’s answer to rise in our awareness. Remember that our task is not to choose the truth, but to choose to “deny the denial of truth” (T-12.II.1:5).
With respect to our longer practice periods today (4:1-2), he writes:
“If something is bothering me, I am in effect telling Jesus he is wrong, because he is telling us here there is no problem, for God’s answer has never failed us. However, we counter: “Wait just a minute and I will show you how you failed me. Look at what is going on! Look how upset or sick I am! Look at my real problems!” Thus we keep the problem from the answer and retain our misery and pain, a price we gladly (and insanely) pay in order to maintain our “rightness” and Jesus’ “wrongness.”
In response to the last paragraph (7), Ken writes:
To make this point again, grievances are a way of saying I am right and Jesus is wrong: the problem is outside – just look at what these terrible people are doing to me! Honesty is thus vitally important in this and the exercises; the honesty of looking within and understanding you made it all up. What will aid you in this process is understanding the motivation for the problem: preserving your separated self. That recognition is the simple honesty to which Jesus refers. Anything outside you that bothers or upsets you is there because you put it there to hide the answer, in the presence of which your separate and special identity would gently fade away. Therefore to preserve yourself you ensured you were right by seeing external problems and blaming everyone else for your miserable situation. We come to learn through these lessons that sanity is our only real choice, for only from that sane decision comes the peace and joy that is our just reward. It is that – and only that – we choose today in simple honesty.”
Today I pray for help in being honest with myself and accepting that my attachment to my specialness will “gently fade away”, it will be not be a drastic and traumatic process, the Holy Spirit truly does know what is best for me as I learn to trust Him.
Also, may I not delude myself into believing that I am ready to relinquish the specialness to which I have been addicted or intent on preserving. I do resist, I do protest, I am often afraid.
May I not focus on what I might lose, typical of the ego thought system, as I let go of the beliefs that keep me stuck, but how much I gain in peace, in light, in love when I do; I experience God’s gifts where there is no loss, but only gain, only gain, only gain.
Honesty and gentleness, both of which are characteristics of any Teacher of God, are on my radar today.
May we all realize we are all teaching all the time and our collaborative goal is to teach only love for that is what we are!
Love,
Gayle
Be sure to join the conversation either on our email group or our Facebook group.
******************
Since you’re here… …we have a small favor to ask. More people are reading our posts, listening to our audios and watching our videos than ever before but far fewer are donating for it. As an all-volunteer ministry, you can see why we need to ask for your help. MiraclesOne provides ACIM resources freely however it takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we believe in encouraging others to practically apply the Course principles in their lives – because it might just make the one difference in your life. If everyone who reads, listens or watches and likes what we offer helps to pay for it we can continue to afford our expenses and keep our resources FREE to all ACIM Students. Monthly Donors receive free gifts in appreciation for their support.