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April-June, 2006

Can You Give Yourself Permission to Be Happy?

by Rev. Cheryl Ford

I had the most wonderful experience this morning with ACIM workbook lesson 71 that I wanted to share it with you. The lesson is Only God’s Plan for Salvation will Work.

The lesson focuses on the fact that there are two ways that we can perceive salvation. One belongs to the ego, the other to God.
The ego’s plan for salvation is based on the idea of “seek but do not find.” This concept causes us to always look for salvation in people, situations and circumstances outside of ourselves. Of course this plan does not work because it is in direct opposition to God’s plan which is by following His direction, we seek for salvation where it is: Within.

During the exercise we are first asked to think about all of the times when we sought salvation outside of ourselves; I could certainly think of plenty. Next, we are asked to connect with God Himself and ask Him to reveal His plan to us by asking very specifically, “What would you have me do? Where would you have me go? And, What would you have me say and to whom?” We are then advised to listen very carefully for His answer.

God was so easy to hear when I asked Him to reveal His plan to me: He told me simply that I am already saved and to just accept it and be happy. He then asked, “Could you give yourself permission to be happy?” I had to really think about this for some reason before answering. “Yes!”

He then told me to “build a ministry to serve as a vehicle to carry the message to others that we are already saved, and to ask them to ask themselves if they could give them self permission to be happy.” Finally, He told me to keep doing what I’m doing because if I’m happy, He’s Happy.

This plan of acceptance and being happy is so simple. Still, I thought the question about being able to give myself permission to happy is quite a good one.

So often we tend to think of ourselves as unworthy, undeserving, or just not ready for happiness in general. We think in terms of happiness as a reward for doing something ‘good,’ or ‘right,’ or for being ‘special’ in some way. And, if we do remember Who we really are and feel deserving of happiness for a little while, we so quickly forget again.

I’m so grateful that God’s plan for salvation (happiness) is simple and easy to remember! I’m so grateful that He Loves me not only with Divine Love but also with Divine Friendship. To just want us to wake up and be happy and to tell others to be happy because we are already saved is so generous and sweet. Thank you God for your Plan for Salvation, for only your plan will work!

© 2006, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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