IV. The Holy Spirit’s Plan of Forgiveness, P 5
5 Forgiveness that is learned of me does not use fear to undo fear. Nor does it make real the unreal and then destroy it. Forgiveness through the Holy Spirit lies simply in looking beyond error from the beginning, and thus keeping it unreal for you. Do not let any belief in its realness enter your mind, or you will also believe that you must undo what you have made in order to be forgiven. What has no effect does not exist, and to the Holy Spirit the effects of error are nonexistent. By steadily and consistently cancelling out all its effects, everywhere and in all respects, He teaches that the ego does not exist and proves it.
Journal
This is so simple it is hard to believe that we make it hard. In essence, there is no guilt and so nothing to forgive. No matter what I think I see, and what I think I think, I am innocent and so is everything else. I am learning to look past the appearance of guilt and thus not see it at all. As I look past the appearance of guilt, I see only holiness reflected back to me.
The Holy Spirit teaches me true forgiveness as I ask Him to look with me at my assumed guilt. He sees no effects from my error and therefore there are none. If there are no effects there is no error and I am free. In this way he methodically teaches me the ego does not exist and proves it to me as He teaches me I am innocent. This applies equally, and in exactly the same way to everyone.
I was just minding my own business yesterday when I was assailed by a sudden vivid memory of something I did in the past for which I felt guilty. It was like it was happening all over again the guilt was so strong and fresh. The way the ego would have me deal with this is to recognize that I sinned and am guilty and then to forgive myself for this.
Or not. Because now that it is real in my mind, I cannot be free of it. No matter how much I tell myself that I am forgiven, I still remember doing this real thing. The ego suggests I make amends somehow, do something to make up for my evil deed. I can’t do enough good things to undo what is real for me. The belief in that sin remains in my mind no matter what I do to atone for it, because I believe in it.
After taking it to the ego and getting no relief, I take it to the Holy Spirit and ask for forgiveness. The Holy Spirit looks at me and sees only God’s holy Son in His perfect sinlessness. There is nothing to forgive. Everywhere He looks, He sees innocence. Where are the effects of sin now? Where is guilt now? Without guilt, where is the ego?
I don’t need to know how this is done. I know only that when I released to the Holy Spirit the guilt I felt for the remembered error, the guilt was no longer there. My mind was purged of the ego belief I had sinned. Sometimes when this happens the undoing is so complete, I can no longer remember the imagined sin.
The most remarkable of all, is that I am learning true forgiveness. I am learning to disregard appearances and see innocence where I used to see guilt. I fail to do this perfectly, but the shift is occurring. There are many times now when I am aware of ego behavior and it means nothing to me. I see right through it to the innocence beyond it. I don’t see anything to forgive.
© Copyright 2015, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
You may freely share copies of this with your friends, provided this notice is included.
Has this page been helpful to you?
Your contribution in support of this site is greatly appreciated. To make a tax deductible contribution or become a member online, go to http://www.pathwaysoflight.org/polshop/home.php?cat=254.
Or send a check or money order to Pathways of Light, 6 Oak Court, Ormond Beach, FL 32174-2623 (USD only, please) Thank you for your support.