Daily Inspiration for Living A Course in Miracles

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Our Dedication to Awaken to Love

⁵Sit silently and wait upon your Father. ⁶He has willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do so.

²Father, we give these holy times to You, in gratitude to Him Who taught us how to leave the world of sorrow in exchange for its replacement, given us by You. ³We look not backward now. ⁴We look ahead, and fix our eyes upon the journey’s end. ⁵Accept these little gifts of thanks from us, as through Christ’s vision we behold a world beyond the one we made, and take that world to be the full replacement of our own.

And now we wait in silence, unafraid and certain of Your coming. ²We have sought to find our way by following the Guide You sent to us. ³We did not know the way, but You did not forget us. ⁴And we know that You will not forget us now. ⁵We ask but that Your ancient promises be kept which are Your Will to keep. ⁶We will with You in asking this. ⁷The Father and the Son, Whose holy Will created all that is, can fail in nothing. ⁸In this certainty, we undertake these last few steps to You, and rest in confidence upon Your Love, which will not fail the Son who calls to You. (A Course in Miracles Part II Introduction, W-pII.in.5:5-6;6:2–7:8)

Here we have a practice that can lead us to freedom from the ego’s tyranny and return us to the limitless Love of our Creator. Unequivocal commitment to this dedication will awaken us from the dream of separation. The 144 lessons of Workbook Part II are training to help us open our minds and hearts to the Will of God. They teach us that we really will the same as God. Our will is His Will.

We have been so enamored with the ego’s offering of specialness that accepting God’s Will seems to be loss. But acceptance of His Will lets all illusions go and returns us to our eternal Home in God. This is all we really want. It is the only Will that will satisfy our need. It is the culmination of our misled search to find happiness in the ego’s dream.

The lessons in Part II are designed to give us practice and understanding that will help us see that the world holds nothing that we want. The Love of God is all we need. This prayer of dedication could be repeated daily as an affirmation of our commitment to awaken from the dream of specialness.

© 2021, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Choosing Truth Instead of Illusions

Comparison must be an ego device, for love makes none. ²Specialness always makes comparisons. ³It is established by a lack seen in another, and maintained by searching for, and keeping clear in sight, all lacks it can perceive. ⁴This does it seek, and this it looks upon. ⁵And always whom it thus diminishes would be your savior, had you not chosen to make of him a tiny measure of your specialness instead. ⁶Against the littleness you see in him you stand as tall and stately, clean and honest, pure and unsullied, by comparison with what you see. ⁷Nor do you understand it is yourself that you diminish thus.

Pursuit of specialness is always at the cost of peace.

⁵The special messages the special hear convince them they are different and apart; each in his special sins and “safe” from love, which does not see his specialness at all. ⁶Christ’s vision is their “enemy,” for it sees not what they would look upon, and it would show them that the specialness they think they see is an illusion.

What would they see instead? ²The shining radiance of the Son of God, so like his Father that the memory of Him springs instantly to mind. …⁵This is the only “cost” of truth: You will no longer see what never was, nor hear what makes no sound. ⁶Is it a sacrifice to give up nothing, and to receive the Love of God forever? (A Course in Miracles, T-24.II.1:1–2:1;5:5–6:2,5-6. See also ACIM Text Made Simple.)

Every moment in the world we are making comparisons. We identify an object by comparing it with its background to distinguish it as different. We compare the objects colors and shadows to determine its form and identify what it is.

We learn to use comparisons to function in the world starting the day we are born. It is a habitual process that we are rarely conscious of doing. But it is a mechanism of the ego that keeps it front and center in our mind as a barrier against the uniform oneness of Love, the only truth.

The way out of this self-made prison of limitations is to quiet our mind. As we welcome peace, we welcome Christ’s vision as our Source of information. Instead of showing us the differences the ego would have us see, Christ’s vision sees past the illusions to the Love that binds us eternally with every brother and our Creator. With this process we accept God’s gift of all of His Love and dismiss the ego as meaningless, with nothing of value to offer.

We choose truth today instead of illusions.

© 2021, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Accepting God’s Strength and Love as Ours

Let us not fight our function. ²We did not establish it. ³It is not our idea. ⁴The means are given us by which it will be perfectly accomplished. ⁵All that we are asked to do is to accept our part in genuine humility, and not deny with self-deceiving arrogance that we are worthy. ⁶What is given us to do, we have the strength to do. ⁷Our minds are suited perfectly to take the part assigned to us by One Who knows us well.

All false humility we lay aside today, that we may listen to God’s Voice reveal to us what He would have us do. ²We do not doubt our adequacy for the function He will offer us. ³We will be certain only that He knows our strengths, our wisdom and our holiness. ⁴And if He deems us worthy, so we are. ⁵It is but arrogance that judges otherwise.

Do as God’s Voice directs. ²And if It asks a thing of you which seems impossible, remember Who it is that asks, and who would make denial. ³Then consider this; which is more likely to be right? ⁴The Voice that speaks for the Creator of all things, Who knows all things exactly as they are, or a distorted image of yourself, confused, bewildered, inconsistent and unsure of everything? ⁵Let not [ego’s] voice direct you. ⁶Hear instead a certain Voice, which tells you of a function given you by your Creator Who remembers you, and urges that you now remember Him.

⁴He has Thoughts which answer every need His Son perceives, although He sees them not. ⁵For Love must give, and what is given in His Name takes on the form most useful in a world of form. (A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson 186, W-186.2;4;12;13:4-5. See also ACIM Lesson 186 Insights.)

A sense of unworthiness and simultaneous arrogance are aspects of the ego thought system. The ego tries to convince us that we are unworthy of fulfilling the function God has given us. But if God has determined we are worthy, then it must be arrogance to believe God is wrong about us.

Our only difficulty in accepting the function God has given us is our belief in the ego as our identity. Being the denial of God, the ego is threatened by God. It feels powerless in His presence, which it is. The ego’s only seeming power comes from our belief. We are not left powerless in our mistaken belief because God has given us the means to undo our mistakes.

When we choose the Holy Spirit as our Guide, He gives us His strength and Christ’s vision to show us the truth of Love beyond the ego’s deception. The Holy Spirit’s mission is to help us fulfill the function given us by God—to extend His Love as He has given It to us. This is our practice today.

© 2021, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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How to Accept God’s Gifts

No one who truly seeks the peace of God can fail to find it. ²For he merely asks that he deceive himself no longer by denying to himself what is God’s Will. ³Who can remain unsatisfied who asks for what he has already? ⁴Who could be unanswered who requests an answer which is his to give? ⁵The peace of God is yours.

For you was peace created, given you by its Creator, and established as His Own eternal gift. ²How can you fail, when you but ask for what He wills for you? ³And how could your request be limited to you alone? ⁴No gift of God can be unshared. ⁵It is this attribute that sets the gifts of God apart from every dream that ever seemed to take the place of truth.

It is this one intent we seek today, uniting our desires with the need of every heart, the call of every mind, the hope that lies beyond despair, the love attack would hide, the brotherhood that hate has sought to sever, but which still remains as God created it. ²With Help like this beside us, can we fail today as we request the peace of God be given us? (A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson 185, W-185.11:1–12:5;14:1-2. See also ACIM Lesson 185 Insights.)

Everyone who believes they walk this world is seeking the peace of God, because this world denies our eternal unity with God. This denial leaves us believing that we do not have God’s Love and peace and joy. Yet it is still there because God Wills it so. We do not have to do anything to be worthy of His gifts. They are already given, never to be withdrawn.

Our task is simple. We need to stop denying the gifts God wills for us. We do this with the Holy Spirit’s help by forgiving our mistaken beliefs, our wish for specialness. In the wish for specialness, the ego has contrived many illusions to offer as a substitute for God’s gifts. But they never satisfy our heart’s desire to remember God’s Son, our true Self.

We forgive these false images one by one. But as we progress with our forgiveness, we begin to recognize the common thread that unites the things we forgive. Our forgiveness generalizes. Fewer circumstances disturb our peace. And when our peace is disturbed, we are less willing to tolerate the disturbance. We more quickly turn to the Holy Spirit and accept His help to heal our fear-based thoughts. Our journey Home accelerates. We are more consistently peaceful and happy.

© 2021, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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The Happy Path to Salvation

…there are only two parts of your mind. ³One is ruled by the ego, and is made up of illusions. ⁴The other is the home of the Holy Spirit, where truth abides. ⁵There are no other guides but these to choose between, and no other outcomes possible as a result of your choice but the fear that the ego always engenders, and the love that the Holy Spirit always offers to replace it.

Thus, it must be that your function is established by God through His Voice, or is made by the ego which you have made to replace Him.”

²Think also about the many forms the illusion of your function has taken in your mind, and the many ways in which you tried to find salvation under the ego’s guidance. …⁸Yet the ego is the only alternative to the Holy Spirit’s Voice.

You will listen to madness or hear the truth. …⁶On one side stand all illusions. ⁷All truth stands on the other. ⁸Let us try today to realize that only the truth is true.

²My happiness and function are one, because God has given me both. (A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson 66, W-66.7:2–8:1;9:2,8;10:1,6-8;11:2. See also ACIM Lesson 66 Insights.)

What we believe will bring us happiness we believe is our salvation. The ego directs us on fruitless searches for forms we believe will make us happy—the right relationship, the right job, the right car, status, house and on and on.

Yet none of these forms last. Even if we obtain a form we believe will make us happy, we need to constantly defend it and “nurture” it to keep it for ourself alone. Thus even achieving what will bring us happiness brings fear with it. This is inevitable because illusions are inherently unstable.

Of one thing we can be certain—the changeless Love of God. It is our true Self, unlimited and fully satisfying. Instead of fear, it brings us joy. Instead of uncertainty, it brings us contentment and peace. Instead of searching for completion, it brings the knowledge that we are whole and safe in the Heart of God.

Today we choose the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and actions, remembering it is the path to truth, our salvation.

© 2021, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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Seeing Love’s Oneness with Christ’s Vision

Christ’s vision is a miracle. ²It comes from far beyond itself, for it reflects eternal love and the rebirth of love which never dies, but has been kept obscure. ³Christ’s vision pictures Heaven, for it sees a world so like to Heaven that what God created perfect can be mirrored there. ⁴The darkened glass the world presents can show but twisted images in broken parts. ⁵The real world pictures Heaven’s innocence.

Christ’s vision is the miracle in which all miracles are born. ²It is their source, remaining with each miracle you give, and yet remaining yours. ³It is the bond by which the giver and receiver are united in extension here on earth, as they are one in Heaven. ⁴Christ beholds no sin in anyone. ⁵And in His sight the sinless are as one. ⁶Their holiness was given by His Father and Himself.

Christ’s vision is the bridge between the worlds. ²And in its power can you safely trust to carry you from this world into one made holy by forgiveness. (A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson 159, W-159.3:1–5:2. See also ACIM Lesson 159 Insights.)

When we see with Christ’s vision, we see the presence of Love everywhere. Nothing is seen as separate, for Love is one and universal, the same everywhere and always. This is our true Nature. Christ’s vision sees our brother and our self as one and the same. No differences.

Forgiveness dismisses barriers to Love, for it sees only truth. Today we choose Christ’s vision to guide all our perceptions in the world. This is the choice for happiness and peace, for it is the choice to see the real world where the oneness of Love is wholly accepted as truth.

© 2021, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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God’s Gift That Keeps on Giving

The Holy Spirit mediates between illusions and the truth. ²Since He must bridge the gap between reality and dreams, perception leads to knowledge through the grace that God has given Him, to be His gift to everyone who turns to [the Holy Spirit] for truth. ³Across the bridge that He provides are dreams all carried to the truth, to be dispelled before the light of knowledge. ⁴There are sights and sounds forever laid aside. ⁵And where they were perceived before, forgiveness has made possible perception’s tranquil end.

The goal the Holy Spirit’s teaching sets is just this end of dreams. ²For sights and sounds must be translated from the witnesses of fear to those of love. ³And when this [translation] is entirely accomplished, learning has achieved the only goal it has in truth. ⁴For learning, as the Holy Spirit guides it to the outcome He perceives for it, becomes the means to go beyond [learning], to be replaced by the eternal truth.

Accept your Father’s gift. ²It is a Call from Love to Love, that It be but Itself. ³The Holy Spirit is His gift, by which the quietness of Heaven is restored to God’s beloved Son. (A Course in Miracles What is the Holy Spirit?, W-pII.7.1:1–2:4;5:1-3. See also ACIM Lesson Insights.)

The Holy Spirit is God’s Call to us to come Home. His Call is already in our mind. Will we answer the Call?

The ego is terrified that we might hear and answer this Call. Were we to answer and accept it, the ego would be dismissed as meaningless and powerless. We would no longer give it credence in our mind, for the truth would set us free. The ego would no longer seem to exist. We would remember the Life we live in God in perfect peace and happiness, extending Love without limit. It’s worth accepting God’s gift; it’s a gift that keeps on giving eternally.

© 2021, Pathways of Light. http://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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