A Course in Miracles Text Made Simple

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Chapter 26: The Transition

Section VI. The Appointed Friend

Read A Course in Miracles, Chapter 26, Section VI. (page 553)

How could what we believe is good and valuable and worth striving for hurt us?

Believing in any form of separation hinders us when we make it real. Why? When we make it real, we are denying it is only an illusion. We are choosing against the oneness of our true Self. Jesus tells us, “For no one can make one illusion real, and still escape the rest. For who can choose to keep the ones that he prefers, and find the safety that the truth alone can give? Who can believe illusions are the same, and still maintain that even one is best?” (1:7-9)

In several places in the Course Jesus tells us to ask of everything, “What is this for?” We are reminded throughout the Course that everything in this world can be used for the ego’s purposes or the Holy Spirit’s purposes. The ego uses everything in the dream to continue making the dream of separation from God appear to have really happened. The Holy Spirit uses everything we think we have made to reinforce waking up from the dream of separation.

Forgiveness means letting the idea of separation go. As we forgive the dream of separation, we quit striving for the things of this world as an end in themselves. We want only to be truly helpful to Holy Spirit’s plan of awakening us all from the fearful dream of being separate and alone. It is only the Holy Spirit who knows how to do this and so we practice, moment by moment, stepping back and following Holy Spirit’s plan in everything.

Where does all power in earth and Heaven rest?

In this section we are reminded to make friends with Reality instead of illusions. When we make special bodies and special ‘personalities’ our friend, we are not helping ourselves or our brother. Jesus tells us, “Lead not your little life in solitude, with one illusion as your only friend. This is no friendship worthy of God’s Son, nor one with which he could remain content. Yet God has given him a better Friend, in Whom all power in earth and Heaven rests. The one illusion that you think is friend obscures His grace and majesty from you, and keeps His friendship and forgiveness from your welcoming embrace. Without Him you are friendless. Seek not another friend to take His place.” (2:1-5)

Here we are being trained to see every brother through his holiness instead of his specialness. This fits very closely with what Jesus tells us on page 78 of the Text: “There are two diametrically opposed ways of seeing your brother. They must both be in your mind, because you are the perceiver. They must also be in his, because you are perceiving him. See him through the Holy Spirit in his mind, and you will recognize Him in yours. What you acknowledge in your brother you are acknowledging in yourself, and what you share you strengthen.” (T-5.III.3:1-5 italics added)

What gifts does our only Friend bring to us?

Jesus tells us, “Make no illusion friend, for if you do, it can but take the place of Him Whom God has called your Friend. And it is He Who is your only Friend in truth. He brings you gifts that are not of this world and only He to Whom they have been given can make sure that you receive them. He will place them on your throne, when you make room for Him on His.” (3:3-6)

When we realize that the Holy Spirit is our only true Guide, we will stop seeking in the world of form for what we will not find. It is only our true Self, the Holy Spirit, Who brings us the awareness that we need to wake up from the dream of separation. This is the only Friend that we really need.

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