Daily Inspiration for Living A Course in Miracles

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Escape from Fear

Mary:
In our reading in A Course in Miracles this morning, we came across a paragraph that defines very succinctly the real reason why all of us are here and what our purpose is every day.

We practice coming nearer to the light in us today. We take our wandering thoughts, and gently bring them back to where they fall in line with all the thoughts we share with God. We will not let them stray. We let the light within our minds direct them [wandering thoughts] to come home. (W-pI.188.9:1-4)

What this means to me is that my real job in the “life” that I appear to be living now is to watch my thoughts — observe them and hand them over to my inner Teacher to be purified of all false ideas. The false ideas show up all through the day and my job as the decision maker is to surrender them to the Holy Spirit, not make them real. How I am applying that currently is that it looks like the property in Kiel may be sold relatively soon. We have several interested parties, but one buyer in particular is going through all the steps to make it happen. As I watch these events unfold, I find myself inwardly having opinions about what I may think is “good” or “bad” about the events. My real job now is simply to observe these thoughts and hand them over to my inner teacher to have them purified.

The Holy Spirit shows me the difference between the real and the unreal. The Holy Spirit shows me that my opinions mean nothing. If I honestly want the Holy Spirit to be in charge, I will be open to the fact that He has a bigger picture of what is in the best interest for all concerned. My job is to not have a ‘will’ of my own. What I think I want means nothing. Accepting this will bring me lasting happiness. When I am willing to remember that I am being carried and let go of the idea of trying to do anything on my own to make anything “happen,” it all works out perfectly for everyone concerned. This is what I am working on now — letting myself be carried and, if I see any opinions popping up, handing them over to be undone. These are the wandering thoughts that this paragraph is talking about in my experience.

I am finding that jumping into the future is not helpful. My job is to accept the peace of God that is within me now. When I truly accept God’s peace, what I need to know shows up naturally when I need to know it.

In the Manual for Teachers, there is a very important message:

The imagined usurping of functions not your own is the basis of fear. The whole world you see reflects the illusion that you have done so, making fear inevitable. To return the function to the One to Whom it belongs is thus the escape from fear. And it is this that lets the memory of love return to you. (M-29.3:6-9)

Robert:
Early in the Manual for Teachers the Course identifies ten characteristics of God’s teachers. The first, and the foundation for all the rest, is trust. This is not surprising since the ego trusts nothing and no one. Distrust is another word for unforgiveness. Distrust comes from the belief that it is possible to lose or be harmed. Yet what is changeless can neither be lost nor cause harm.

The perception of loss is a projection of the ego thought that separation is possible and has been accomplished. The ego cannot trust because nothing within the ego thought system is stable and therefore nothing is trustworthy. Because of our ingrained identification with the ego, trust seems to be difficult. That is why the Course spells out six stages to the development of trust.

Though we could make a single decision to choose Love and all else would disappear, there is so much fear of loss associated with such a choice that we need to do it in stages. Yet this process is the only meaningful purpose for this life. This is why forgiveness is the cornerstone of awakening. It is forgiveness that clears away the beliefs that seem to justify distrust so that trust can take their place.

Today and every day I must ask myself, “Am I willing to forgive? Am I willing to trust Love?” These questions are the same. Distrust reflects the denial of Love. The wish to plan for protection against an unknown future is a denial of the certainty of Love. I so easily fall into planning on my own that it is clear I have not wholeheartedly answered that I am willing to trust Love.

Today I will practice being mindful for the barriers I have in my mind against Love and turn them over to the One Who knows how to purify them and return to me the Love that is my inheritance.

© 2009, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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