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Gentle Healing Lesson 154, Manual for Teachers, Text.  7-18-19

LESSON 154
I am among the ministers of God.

“It is not our part to judge our worth, nor can we know what role is best for us; what we can do within a larger plan we cannot see in its entirety.”

“He does not work without your own consent. But He is not deceived in what you are, and listens only to His Voice in you.”

I am among the ministers of God, not because of anything that I made of myself, but because of what I am in truth. I doubt myself when I pay attention to the ego thoughts in my mind. I seem to fail in so many things and to be only partially successful in others. But evidently that doesn’t matter.

There is more to me than what I see in this world. If I judge on what I understand, I will judge in error. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit knows who I am and He knows how I can best be utilized in this lifetime for my benefit and for the benefit of the world. He has the whole picture and that helps. He is not confused by my ego imaginings and that helps. Most importantly, He listens only to His Voice in me.

“It is through His ability to hear one Voice which is His Own that you become aware at last there is one Voice in you.”

My confusion about who I am and what I can do and should do stems from the belief that I have two voices and they are both true. Since they are opposite in every way, that I can listen to both and make sense of the world is clearly inaccurate. I know that I have a specific part to fill. I hear that from the Holy Spirit. I think I can fail at that task and that would be really bad because that is what I hear the ego say. Thus, my confusion.

Becoming convinced that there is only one true Voice is what untangles my mind and it is what makes my task simple and certain. Here is what Jesus says about this. “And that one Voice appoints your function, and relays it to you, giving you the strength to understand it, do what it entails, and to succeed in everything you do that is related to it.”

This is the Voice I can trust, and learning to hear (listen to and believe) only this Voice leads me to knowing my Self again. Jesus says this: “Now this mind becomes aware again of Who created it, and of His lasting union with itself. So is its Self the one reality in which its will and that of God are joined.” I haven’t reached that stage yet, where I hear only His Voice, but I have learned to recognize which voice I am listening to and to know that I can change my mind pretty quickly when I believe the ego voice.

“A messenger is not the one who writes the message he delivers. Nor does he question the right of him who does, nor ask why he has chosen those who will receive the message that he brings. It is enough that he accept it, give it to the ones for whom it is intended, and fulfil his role in its delivery. If he determines what the messages should be, or what their purpose is, or where they should be carried, he is failing to perform his proper part as bringer of the Word.”

I used to make the error of thinking I knew what the message should be and who was supposed to get it. This is not an error I make very often anymore. Because I sincerely want to be a messenger of God, I am open and receptive to the message and if I get off track, I feel it and generally stop it before it goes any further.

“The messages that they deliver are intended first for them. And it is only as they can accept them for themselves that they become able to bring them further, and to give them everywhere that they were meant to be.”

Being a teacher of God is not like being an English teacher. I could teach English without even accepting that what I teach is important. I could teach math without believing in it. And, I can teach the words and concepts of the Course without accepting them for myself. But to be the teacher of God that is needed, I must believe in what I teach and fully accept it.

There have been times when someone asked me a question about some concept in the Course and as I struggled to answer it, I discovered that I didn’t really know the answer. If I stop a moment and ask for the answer, I experience an “ah ha” moment and then the words just flow.

This is because in asking for the answer rather than trying to figure it out with my ego mind, I was accepting the answer. I’ve also learned to say that I don’t know when I don’t know. Sometimes in that moment, I am given the answer and then I do know because I have accepted it.

Another way I have seen this work is that on occasion I have been asked to help someone see a situation differently, and I have had to suggest a different person they could talk to. This is because the situation they are in is something that has not been resolved in my own mind. I cannot share what is not mine. My confusion would not be helpful to their understanding.

For a while, I was not able to see past the president’s personality to the truth of his being.

When someone would ask how to see him, I had nothing for them. When finally, I realized how destructive to my own peace of mind this attitude was, I asked for healing. Now, I am able to be helpful in this situation. I have become the first receiver and so I am able to give as I am led to do so. I still pause to ask for guidance, but now I am also able to receive that guidance.

Now here is a really important point. Jesus says: “You are appointed now. And yet you wait to give the messages you have received. And so you do not know that they are yours, and do not recognize them. No one can receive and understand he has received until he gives. For in the giving is his own acceptance of what he received.”

If we are reading this, we have already been appointed as a messenger of God. Those who are to receive from us have already been chosen. We have the message. If we are not aware of that message, we have not yet stepped up and accepted our role. Give the message to know the message. Give the message to know your role as messenger.

When I first accepted my role, I was not confident in my ability to properly share the message, but I was willing and so I pushed through my doubt and my considerable fear, and I delivered the message. It was in doing so that I truly received. Even though I was not the writer of the message, I was willing to accept that while I might be unsure of myself, I was certain of the Source and so I gave the message. This is what made it mine. Giving it was the final step in the process.

“We practice giving Him what He would have, that we may recognize His gifts to us. He needs our voice that He may speak through us. He needs our hands to hold His messages, and carry them to those whom He appoints. He needs our feet to bring us where He wills, that those who wait in misery may be at last delivered. And He needs our will united with His Own, that we may be the true receivers of the gifts He gives.”

Regina’s Tips
Everything that Regina said helped to clarify and emphasize this lesson. This is her complete writing about this lesson and all I have to say about it, is that I agree with what she said and I live it to the best of my ability. If there is any part that is still a challenge for me, it is that I sometimes listen to the ego’s judgments of myself as a minister of God.

Today’s workbook lesson is a calling. All are called. The question is, who will answer?

In order to answer the call, there are certain requirements.

We must let go of judging of ourselves. This includes letting go of judging if we are ready for service, if we are worthy of service, and what our role of service should be. This means that an emptying out needs to occur. We need to let go of who we think we are, what we think we want, and what we think our strengths and weaknesses are. We need to be open and willing, and nothing more. Anything that we add to that, like ideas about what our service should be, will likely come from ego.

I am reminded of Eckhart Tolle’s story. He experienced an awakening, and then he spent the better part of the next two years sitting on a park bench in London in a state of bliss. And then guidance began to come. He was guided to move to the west coast of the USA, although he did not know why. So he went. Later it unfolded that he wrote a book, The Power of Now, and his role as a teacher began.

If you look at Eckhart’s story, you can see that he did not pick his role. He also was not searching for his role. He was happy just to be. When the first step in his function came, which was to move, he moved. At that point there was no more to it. The feeling came to move, and so he moved.

Are we willing to have no ideas of our own? Are we willing to simply be here now, following whatever prompts there are in the moment, without planning what our part will be?

We must be willing to say ‘yes,’ even though we have no idea how we will succeed. Today’s Course lesson says, “And that one Voice appoints your function, and relays it to you, giving you the strength to understand it, do what it entails, and to succeed in everything you do that is related to it.”When you receive your guidance, it is likely you won’t know how you will accomplish it. You may not have the knowledge, skill, resources or money needed. That’s not your concern. A part of how you will learn that there is something bigger than your little self is to say ‘yes’, and then watch how everything is provided. It’s such a marvelous experience! But it is an experience that can only be had if you say ‘yes.’

You must realize that your service is for you. It doesn’t matter if you are made a teacher, a writer, a musician, a bookkeeper, a housekeeper, an event organizer, etc. You may be able to see how your function serves others, but what is most important is that you notice how your function serves to awaken you. Where are the opportunities to let go of your way of thinking? Where are the opportunities to increase trust? Where are the opportunities to let go of self-will and increase surrender? Whatever form of service you are given, your awakening is its first purpose. Always remember its first purpose, and let your function do its job on you.

You must also realize that your service is not just for you. Its first purpose is receiving for your own awakening, but its second purpose is giving. All energy is a flow, and in order for a flow to be effective, it must continue to flow. So you will receive from your service, and then you will give. And you will continue to receive, and you will continue to give. This is the flow.It is important to realize that you do not decide how you will give. A trick of the ego can come at this stage. Even if you were careful enough to let go of judging yourself (#1 above), to say ‘yes’ (#2) and to see your function as for you (#3), the ego may try to trick you at this point by convincing you that you are now mature enough to know what is best; now you can decide what to give and how to give it. This is a very common ego trick and one that is to be watched for. It is the ego trying to reestablish itself in your mind. Keep in mind that the way to successfully give is to continually repeat steps 1-3 above.

Today I ask that you contemplate what I have shared above. Everyone has a function to be fulfilled. As today’s lesson says, “He needs our voice that He may speak through us. He needs our hands to hold His messages, and carry them to those whom He appoints. He needs our feet to bring us where He wills, that those who wait in misery may be at last delivered. And He needs our will united with His Own, that we may be the true receivers of the gifts He gives.”

You may already know your function, and you have delayed saying ‘yes.’ You may not yet know your function, but it may come to you soon. Or it may not be time for you to know your function yet. Regardless of your specific situation, a deep contemplation of today’s workbook lesson will prepare you to fulfill your role, whatever it may be.

Manual for Teachers
M-9.1:8-9 Relationships in particular must be properly perceived, and all dark cornerstones of unforgiveness removed. 9 Otherwise the old thought system still has a basis for return.

There has been so much healing in my relationships. I was talking to my brother yesterday and the topic of our children came up. What came out of my mouth is that my children’s lives are none of my business. I was surprised at that and happy to realize that it is true. The ego has found this part of my life to be such a handy hook for getting me back into the old thought system that it has not give it up. I notice thoughts about my kids, things I could be worried about, things I used to check on or offer advice about and I see that I no longer do that. I feel a little tug to call one of them and ask how things are going, and the desire fades. I am here for them as I am for anyone who wants to talk, and if they need my help with something, I am thrilled to provide it. But I don’t feel any need to fix them or guide them. I have forgiven that thought, that ego need to do something. Is it possible something will change and I will jump into the old way of seeing things? I guess it is but I am OK with that. I know what to do now with those beliefs.

Text
III. The Holy Encounter, P4
4 When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy encounter. As you see him you will see yourself. As you treat him you will treat yourself. As you think of him you will think of yourself. Never forget this, for in him you will find yourself or lose yourself. Whenever two Sons of God meet, they are given another chance at salvation. Do not leave anyone without giving salvation to him and receiving it yourself. For I am always there with you, in remembrance of you.

This is one of my favorite paragraphs in the Course. When I read it, I feel like crying, it makes me so happy to know that salvation is only as far away as the next encounter with a brother. It makes me so grateful for my brothers and so happy to remember that we are not these separate individuals with each our own different goals, our own private thoughts and our own needs that are in opposition to each other. We are part of each other, and part of our Creator.

We each have a part in this play of life and so it seems that we are sometimes stranger and sometimes enemy, but in Real Life, we must laugh at such a ridiculous idea. Today, even from within the story, I will laugh at such folly. I ask the Holy Spirit to show me the Son of God in each encounter with a brother. I am willing to set aside what my character thinks of as her personal needs and personal goals and personal will, and see my brother for Who He is.

Maybe Spirit will use this opportunity to bring into my sphere of influence some brother who is ready to be reminded of his true self, and our meeting, brief as it may be, will awaken an ancient memory of Unity. And maybe that memory will be with us from now on, to never be completely lost again. Every encounter with a brother is a holy one, but today, Jesus, I will remember this, and I am appreciative that you are there with me, helping me.

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