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January-March, 2015

What It Means to Be a Minister of God

by Rev. Linda Wisniewski, O.M.C.

Ten years ago, this coming May, I was ordained as a Minster from Pathways of Light. When I came home from a wonderful week that led to ordination, I was very excited. But soon, I experienced a let down. I also got physically sick and frightened. How was I supposed to minister; what was I supposed to do? Nothing was happening. The ego always wants to think in terms of “doing” in the world. To the ego, its value and worth comes from “doing” and getting accolades from others.

But, one thing I always learned at Pathways and from ACIM is to trust Holy Spirit’s guidance and put Holy Spirit in charge. Holy Spirit, the Voice for God, will show us what to do, where to go, what to say and to whom.

At that time, I didn’t have a strong connection to my Inner Teacher. I still was new to the process of accessing my Inner Wisdom. I still was coming from ego and thought I had to make an effort to make my ministry happen. I was trying to make something happen from a will separate from what God willed for me.

But I did go to Holy Spirit and Holy Spirit led me in the next year to keep reading Workbook Lesson 155: I Will Step Back and Let Him Lead the Way. Paragraph 9 sentences 1-3 really stood out to me.

“Walk safely now, yet carefully, because this path is new to you. And you may find that you are tempted still to walk ahead of truth, and let illusions be your guide.  Your holy brothers have been given you, to follow in your footsteps as you walk with certainty of purpose to the truth.”

At the time of ordination, I was still a very new student to ACIM. How was I to minister if I didn’t even know what the Truth was? What would I have taught if I still was so enmeshed in the illusion? I needed to step back and be a student of the Holy Spirit, Who would help me sort out the true from the false so I could let truth lead the way. I needed to build and strengthen my trust in Holy Spirit’s guidance.

So for the next few years, I did step back, became a student of A Course in Miracles. I practiced with the workbook lessons and worked with the section in the Manual for Teachers called “The Development of Trust.”

Holy Spirit also wanted me to understand that I needed to cultivate the qualities of a true teacher of God. These qualities were also spelled out in the Manual for Teachers: Honesty, Tolerance, Gentleness, Joy, Defenselessness, Generosity, Patience, Faithfulness, Open-Mindedness. Holy Spirit was teaching me that my only function was forgiveness of the dream of separation.

Then, about three years ago, Reverend Myron Jones asked me if I wanted to be part of the Chronic and Critical Illness Support Group that Pathways of Light was forming. After practicing going to Holy Spirit first before making any decision on my own, Holy Spirit said I was ready to be of service. I told Reverend Myron I would be glad to be part of the group.

I also was guided to suggest forming a support group to help others strengthen their connection with their Inner Teacher and learn to access their Inner Wisdom. Pathways of Light then agreed to offer this service.

I also was asked if I wanted to be a Mind Healing Partner for others who were wishing to study the ACIM Practitioner Courses. (This program consists of 24 Mind Healing Courses based on the principles of ACIM to train the Mind to apply ACIM in a very practical way.) In the years that I stepped back, I also took these courses and was certified to be a mind healing partner. Holy Spirit told me I was ready to be a facilitator of these courses. 

I was filled with joy at being able to serve in this way. Then in June of 2014, I broke my hip and experienced a lot of fear and confusion over finances and what my ministry was all about. Ego took over and once again wanted me to focus on doing and thinking about the form the ministry should take. All of a sudden, I was thinking how could my ministry support me monetarily. My motivation stopped being about serving the Sonship and more about how it would serve me, the egoic Linda. I started feeling anxious and losing the joy of being a Teacher of God.

Thank God, I had Holy Spirit to help me once again sort out the truth from the Illusion. I asked Holy Spirit to help me understand more deeply what it meant to be a Teacher of God, what it meant to be a Minister for God. I was losing my way and I needed once again to step back and trust in Holy Spirit’s guidance.

The Holy Spirit led me to ACIM Practitioner course 916: Teacher of God. On page 1 of this wonderful Course it states, “The Holy Spirit within us knows that we do not know how to be a teacher of God on our own.” We need to be trained to be a teacher of God by the Holy Spirit. ”A teacher of God teaches the opposite of what this world teaches in every way.”

On the bottom of page 1 it goes on to say. “We have the full ability to be a teacher of God, but unless we practice the skills involved, we delay our learning. What is the key skill we need to practice over and over until we get it right? That skill is going to that quiet place in our mind and being receptive and open to the instruction of our inner Teacher. That skill is learned with the mind set, I would follow, I would not lead.”

Once again, I had to examine my motivation for being a Teacher of God. I had to forgive myself for temporarily falling under the guidance of ego whose motivation is to get, not to extend. The ministry is not there to sustain Linda. I Am Sustained by the Love of God (WB Lesson 50) I AM in Need of Nothing But the Truth (WB Lesson 251) God is the source of infinite supply. I need not worry about how I will be supported in the illusion because I am not in lack; I have everything I need because I AM everything, as created by God. 

I was also led to Workbook Lesson 154: I Am Among the Ministers of God.

“It is not our part to judge our worth, nor can we know what role is best for us; what we can do within a larger plan we cannot see in its entirety. Our part is cast in Heaven, not in hell.” (1:5-6)

“Whatever your appointed role may be, it was selected by the Voice for God, Whose function is to speak for you as well. Seeing your strengths exactly as they are, and equally aware of where they can be best applied, for what, to whom and when, He chooses and accepts your part for you.” (2:1-2)

So, only ego is driven and works so hard to want to make something happen to prove its worth. Trusting in Holy Spirit’s guidance takes no effort; when I place my trust in Him, I will be guided perfectly and effortlessly.

I am learning that to be a Teacher of God is to be His Messenger of Love and to extend that Love onto the World. It is to help the Sonship remember their innocence and to remember our true purpose, which is to awaken from the dream of separation, not to make a better dream.

In the back sleeve of the binder of Course 916 there is a full page laminated poster. In the 3rd paragraph it states:

“ As I trust in God’s plan and not my own, I fulfill my part as a minister of God.”

Once again I am experiencing joy as I fulfill my part in God’s plan for awakening. Thank you Holy Spirit for helping me sort this out.

© 2015, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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