Robert: The Course says that to heal is to make happy. Since forgiveness is healing, it could be said that to forgive is to make happy. To the ego, some offenses are more unforgivable than others. But what’s really going on is that for some offenses, I’d rather be right than happy. Since the Son of God cannot be anything other than Love, if I take offense, it cannot be the Son of God that offends me. I can only be offended by an image that I have substituted for the Son of God. And that image I made up.
It works like this. I make up an image and substitute it for the Son of God. I decide what that image will do, how it behaves, what it represents to me. Then I forget that I made that image and it appears that the image is independent of my thinking. Yet it only reflects what I want to believe is true. The choice to make an image comes from the choice to be separate. So now it appears that I am the victim of an outer image because I have denied and hidden from my awareness that the image is simply a projection of my wish to be separate and my attempt to make separation appear to be real.
Because I want separation, that image cannot be forgiven. To forgive that image would be an admission that I am mistaken about what I am. And I would rather not be mistaken so I hang on to my judgment and unhappiness. Clearly this is an insane choice. But what else could it be since it comes from the insane wish to be separate from Love, to not be my Self? The choice to forgive is the choice to accept my Self as What I am. This is why forgiveness is the lynchpin of awakening.
Today I would practice looking past appearances to see the Love that is everywhere and that I am. I do this by taking each fearful or judgmental thought to the Holy Spirit and opening my mind and heart to His gentle correction. He will show me the meaninglessness of the image and it will fade away, revealing the brilliance of the Light of Love that is always there. This practice will bring me a day of joy, for love and joy always come together, being attributes of the Self I am.
Mary: This morning, as I begin my day, I spend time in quiet listening.
What I receive is a reminder to place my trust in God instead of the ego.
I receive a reminder to let go of the past and the future.
I receive a reminder to continuously step back throughout the day and receive Holy Spirit’s gentle correction of all the ego thoughts that pass through my mind.
I receive a gentle reminder to accept the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and to soak in the healing waters of God’s peace frequently today.
I receive a gentle reminder that I am not a body. I am free, for I am still as God created me. I also receive a gentle reminder that this is the truth about every brother that I see or even think of.
I am willing to continue to receive Holy Spirit’s gentle reminders as I go through my day because I want to wake up more than anything else. I want to remember the truth and this little willingness will be all that I need to receive those gentle corrections throughout the day and every day.
I am in such great gratitude that I have this Help, because I know I cannot do it on my own.
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