A Course in Miracles Lesson Insights

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read the corresponding lesson in the Workbook of the Second or
Third Edition of A Course in Miracles published by the Foundation for Inner Peace.
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Listen to Lesson 118 Insights

ACIM Workbook Lesson 118 Insights

Review: “God’s peace and joy are mine.”
and “Let me be still and listen to the truth.”

My “feeble voice” tells me that I am weak and unworthy of peace and joy. It is the voice of judgment and guilt. It is quick to respond in every circumstance with messages that tell me to be careful, protect myself, and pointing out that others cannot be trusted, that there is always danger lurking around the next corner, over the hill or in the next minute. It is a voice of fear, for from judgment and guilt comes the expectation of punishment and pain.

This feeble voice can never be happy because it speaks for the part of my mind that believes it is alone, separate and guilty because of having separated from its Creator. In truth it is impossible to be separate from my Source, my Creator. Thus this feeble voice represents a belief in what could never happen. Being based on a false premise, all this voice has to say is a lie. That is why it is important for me to practice this lesson. It will help me stop believing in the messages of the feeble voice.

Each time I affirm that God’s peace and joy are mine, I remind myself of the truth. This helps open my mind so that when I am still, I can remember to disregard the lying, feeble voice and listen instead to the truth. I have had a long habit of listening to this false voice. I need to practice to break the habit. If ever I question the value of this practice, I need simply ask myself, “Do I want peace and joy? Has this voice of judgment and guilt ever brought me peace and joy?” If I answer these questions honestly, it is clear the great value these exercises offer. They offer me a way out of lies and into truth, out of conflict and into peace, out of sadness and into joy.

If I want to experience God’s peace and joy, I need to practice being still and listening to my true Self. This world I live in is not my home. My true Home lies deep in my mind where there is quiet and peace, happiness and joy. Which world do I go for, the outer world of conflict, where there are differences and separation, or to the inner quiet where awareness of God’s Love awaits me?

It is so tempting to become so involved in the outer world that I have no time left to devote to remembering the truth. Developing the habit of stepping back from the constant chatter of the world and giving the time to open my mind to accessing inner wisdom is a very valuable practice indeed. The ego mind never thinks this is so, but my true Self waits patiently for my return.

God’s peace and joy are mine to experience any time I am willing, but it does require stilling my mind and opening to the Voice for truth. This Voice is gentle and kind. This inner Light brings about a change of mind that I need consistently. Because I deviate from the truth again and again, I need to take this time of inner quiet and listen to the truth again. God is Love and nothing else, and therefore I am Love and nothing else. My brother is Love and nothing else. I need to be reminded of this often. My inner journey of return to Love is the most important journey of all.

The only reason this journey takes time is because many times I am slow to accept the truth. The Voice for Love reminds me that Love is eternally true and has not changed. My willingness to be quiet and listen to the truth helps me remember that this is so.

My feeble voice, which is that of the ego, is also constantly standing by like a vulture just waiting for me to weaken and tells me I don’t need to be feeling pain and then sends me on this endless, fruitless search of nothingness outside of myself only to find myself back at square one again. That’s why the “sacrifice” of practicing these lessons faithfully have made all the difference in the world for me; because I’ve learned to be still and look within first.

Actually, it’s been my experience that the more I do these lessons, the more the ego fights for its life; and I guess rightfully so; I gave the ego a lot of power at one time and now it senses I’m beginning to take that power away from it. Now it’s the ego’s turn to be afraid because I have found a new “friend.”

Most Holy Spirit, help me have the willingness today to know that God’s joy and peace are mine. Help me learn to be still and listen to my Heavenly Father’s voice, which is the truth. Amen.

I too have given the ego so much power before and now I am taking it away. Sometimes I am doing really well and feeling wonderful because I am doing my lessons and starting to experience change in my life. Then suddenly it is like I hear a voice warning me that there is still much to worry about, be afraid of, protect against.

It is that ego voice being loud and distracting, trying to get me back, and no wonder. I am the one who taught it that this is the way I want it. It is taking some effort on my part to remember that I’ve changed my mind. If I don’t stay alert to my thoughts, I fall so easily back into the old way of thinking.

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