LESSON 100
My part is essential to God’s plan for salvation.
“One function shared by separate minds unites them in one purpose, for each one of them is equally essential to them all.”
Here in the world of time and space we think that we are separate and have separate thoughts and separate goals. This leads to competition and blame and loss. But there is one way we can undo this belief in separation. We can accept our function in God’s plan for salvation. This will be enough to restore a sense of union and will be a great relief and happiness.
“God’s Will for you is perfect happiness.”
Happiness is a yardstick I use to measure how well I am listening to the Voice for God as opposed to asking the ego for advice. Sometimes, especially if I am involved in the story too deeply, it is not clear to me which voice I am listening to. But if I am unhappy, then I know for sure that I have believed an ego lie and I can change my mind. The ego might offer me temporary pleasure, but is not interested in my unwavering happiness. For example, when I think I have won, I might get that adrenaline rush that feels like pleasure, but it won’t last. If I decide on love rather than being right, I feel happiness and that happiness will stay unless I choose otherwise.
“You are indeed essential to God’s plan. Without your joy, His joy is incomplete. Without your smile, the world cannot be saved. While you are sad, the light that God Himself appointed as the means to save the world is dim and lusterless, and no one laughs because all laughter can but echo yours.”
I so love the language of this lesson, the beauty and poetry. More importantly is the message. Without my joy, God’s joy is incomplete. When we remember that we are in God and part of God it is understandable that we affect God. God is by definition Wholeness, Oneness, Joy, and Peace. Since we are part of God, we cannot complete Him if we are not what He is.
Does this mean that we should go around pretending to be happy? Well, since it is not possible to be anything God did not create, we are going around pretending to be unhappy, so in a way this would be a solution. Trade the belief of unhappiness for the belief in happiness. Another way to do this is to let go of the thoughts that make us unhappy. If I am worried about my child, I can release that thought and replace it with the thought that my child is having exactly the experience he came here to have and that the Joy that is God is also my son. If joy is what he is, then joy is always available to him as it is to me.
“God’s messengers are joyous, and their joy heals sorrow and despair. They are the proof that God wills perfect happiness for all who will accept their Father’s gifts as theirs.”
I had a boyfriend once who was a delight to all who met him. Just being in his presence was uplifting and one of the reason’s was because of his quiet happiness. He didn’t go around laughing and telling jokes. He was just quietly happy and loving. Everyone I introduced him to felt this in him. It made people want what he had.
This is the person I want to be, someone who awakens a longing for the joy and happiness that is available to them as it is to me. Working on it. Working on it by not accepting unhappiness as a possibility. Working on by releasing the thoughts that lead to unhappiness. I have had a lot of success. There was a time before the Course when I could not imagine being happy all the time. I was surprised by happiness, not expectant. Now I am surprised when I am not happy.
“Look deep within you, undismayed by all the little thoughts and foolish goals you pass as you ascend to meet the Christ in you.”
The Christ will meet us because we are essential to His plan. We can depend on that. When I attempt to meditate, I often feel discouraged by all the thoughts that pop into my mind, so many of them are untrue and simply distracting. Here, Jesus tells us not to be discouraged by these thoughts. I wonder if I could just see them as objects on my path and just walk around them.
Regina’s Tips
Along the way to Self-realization some people may have some tremendous experiences that seem to be proof of something divine, but to me the simplicity of genuine happiness is the greater boon. To be happy no matter what appears to occur or not occur is a sure sign of detachment from the world and detachment from thought. It is a sure sign of awakening to realization of one’s real nature.
Happiness, openness, and confidence are the true miracles of awakening. When one isn’t feeling happiness, openness and confidence, something has gone wrong. An untrue thought has gained attention.
Today, regardless of what you experience, contemplate the fact that happiness is natural, and unhappiness is the sign that you are believing something that isn’t true. This is always the case. When we accept this as true, we begin to respond to unhappiness appropriately. The appropriate way to respond to unhappiness is to look, uncover and release an untrue idea.
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