The strength of [true] pardon is its honesty, which is so uncorrupted that it sees illusions as illusions, not as truth. It is because of this that it becomes the undeceiver in the face of lies; the great restorer of the simple truth. By its ability to overlook what is not there, it opens up the way to truth, which has been blocked by dreams of guilt. Now are you free to follow in the way your true forgiveness opens up to you. For if one brother has received this gift of you, the door is open to yourself. (A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson 134, W-pI.134.8. See also ACIM Lesson 134 Insights.)
All our upsets in the world come from believing that what our body’s senses show us is real. Yet the Course tells us that not only what we perceive is unreal, but the body we perceive with is not real. Understanding this is the key to forgiveness. If what we perceive with the body is not real, then the basis for the upset is not real and is easily forgiven.
The only reason forgiveness seems difficult is because we want our judgments to be justified as a means to project our inner guilt. But the guilt we feel inside is equally unjustified because it is based on what we believe we have done with the body. What was “done” with an illusion could never have really happened. Once again forgiveness is the means to release ourselves from guilt.
As we let the Holy Spirit help us recognize illusions for what they are, we easily forgive because we recognize that what we thought happened never really occurred. This is the blessing the Holy Spirit offers us in every moment. We need only ask Him for help.
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