A Course in Miracles Text Made Simple

To gain the most from A Course in Miracles Text Made Simple, we recommend that
you read the corresponding chapter and section in the Text of the Second or
Third Edition of A Course in Miracles published by the Foundation for Inner Peace.

Chapter 11: God or the Ego

Section I: The Gifts of Fatherhood

Read ACIM Chapter 11, Section I (pages 194-196)

Why is it so important that we recognize our need of healing?

Jesus begins this section by reminding us of our need for healing and the need to bring healing to the Sonship in order to return to knowledge. Healing comes with being willing to recognize the truth of What we are and Where we are. “You dwell in the Mind of God with your brother, for God Himself did not will to be alone.” (1:6) How could we be alone when it is not God’s Will? How could we have a mind that is separate from His, when it is not God’s Will? How could we have made a world where there is limitation, suffering and death, when it is not God’s Will? God is the Universe and so denial of His Will is what we need to learn to let go of. Letting go of another will that is separate from God’s Will is our healing.

Why are we afraid to know God’s Will for us?

Accepting that God’s Will is our will is what we are learning to remember in order to have our minds be healed. But the Course says, “You are afraid to know God’s Will, because you believe it is not yours. This belief is your whole sickness and your whole fear. Every symptom of sickness and fear arises here, because this is the belief that makes you want not to know. Believing this you hide in darkness, denying that the light is in you.” (10:3-6) To return to the memory that our will is God’s Will, we must recognize that we do not know because we are so entrenched in denying God’s Will.

Only the Holy Spirit can show us our true will, which is God’s Will. Because our will is God’s Will, we share His Life. We may not remember His Life because of our denial, but it continues without end or limit. “[The extension of God’s Mind] continues forever, however much it is denied. Your denial of its reality may arrest it in time, but not in eternity. That is why your creations have not ceased to be extended and why so much is waiting for your return.” (3:7-8)

Why is what we call ‘life’ in this world not created by God?

What we call “life” in this world was not created by the eternal because everything in this world has a beginning and an end. Thus it cannot be real. That is why we can leave it all behind by recognizing that anything in time, anything that changes, has no meaning. Only what is timeless is of God so only the eternal is real.

What do we need to share in order to know God?

Since God is Love, His Will is only to extend Love. God’s one gift to us in our creation is Himself. Creation is extension of Love. Since God’s extension cannot be blocked, Love cannot be blocked. Even though we hide in dreams, our extension of Love remains unabated in eternity. As we learn to accept Love as Love is, we will unite with God’s gift of Himself to us. We will give Love universally, as God does. This is our true will. This is what we are returning to with the help of the Holy Spirit. With Holy Spirit’s guidance we open to sharing God’s Life with all equally. “You who share His Life must share it to know it, for sharing is knowing.” (11:5) Sharing God’s Life, God’s Love, is knowing His Will.

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