II. The Voice for God, Paragraph 7
10-10-13
7 The Voice of the Holy Spirit does not command, because it is incapable of arrogance. It does not demand, because It does not seek control. It does not overcome, because It does not attack. It merely reminds. It is compelling only because of what it reminds you of. It brings to your mind the other way, remaining quiet even in the midst of the turmoil you may make. The Voice for God is always quiet, because It speaks of peace. Peace is stronger than war because it heals. War is division, not increase. No one gains from strife. What profiteth it a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? If you listen to the wrong voice you have lost sight of your soul. You cannot lose it, but you can not know it. It is therefore “lost” to you until you choose right.
This is the Holy Spirit I know; It is gentle, peaceful, loving, kind, quiet, respectful, patient, undemanding, available, utterly trustworthy. I call on the Holy Spirit for help and It answers. I ask for healing and It heals, but It answers the request of my heart and so heals only to the degree I truly desire that healing. It sometimes answers in unexpected ways.
Here is an example. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me let go of the belief in guilt, not just the belief that I am guilty for this thing or that thing, but the belief in guilt altogether. Guilt is not of God so it cannot be real, and while I understand that concept, I still feel guilty for various “sins” that I commit, so I must still believe in it. I feel ready to let that go and so I asked for help.
The Course tells us that the way to do this is to look at my thoughts and beliefs with the Holy Spirit, and deciding against them, ask for the Atonement (healing). So naturally, lots of guilty thoughts are coming forward so that I can see the many uses I have for guilt and make another choice. After awhile I feel overwhelmed with this and even a little confused as I lose my detachment and start to forget why I am looking at guilt. Then I simply feel guilty and this is depressing. I recover, but I am making it a more painful process than it needs to be. Realizing this I asked for help.
A couple of days ago, I was walking from my car to see a customer and I had the thought that even as I walk in this parking lot, I am being healed. It was a little revelation, that. It brought to mind that the important stuff happens without my help. The healing of the mind requires only my sincere desire. The healing itself does not need my help.
Later that day I was worrying about a customer, concerned that I had remembered everything I needed to do for him, and the thought came into my mind that even as I worry, my mind is being healed. I laughed out loud. Yes, my mind is being healed and what I do or say or even think does not prevent that healing. I sincerely asked for healing and so the healing is taking place.
This happened several more times when I was concerned about something or feeling guilty about something. I had a memory of something I said and it triggered the guilt in my mind. I was feeling bad about it and the thought came; even as I sit here in this guilt, my mind is being healed. I was awash in relief to remember that there is nothing to worry about. I am being healed. I am waking up. Nothing I say or do is stopping that.
After awhile I realized that this was a gift from Holy Spirit, the answer to my prayer for help to do the work on guilt without suffering while I did it. I began to notice that often when I paused for that reminder, I felt a sense of removal from the problem, as if I were not part of it, but simply watching it. Such blessings, such grace, and only because I asked for it!
This paragraph also talks about the strength of peace. Before the Course I didn’t understand the idea of peace as strength because my mind was steeped in the idea of attack as defense. I have since learned that in my defenselessness my safety lies. No one gains from strife. I know this because I have proven it to myself in my own life.
I wonder how different our government would be if everyone in it understood this. Perhaps they are helping us all learn that strife is not strength as we watch them squabble and fight for dominance. Everyone has the option of joining them in their divisive behavior by taking sides and giving up their peace to this battle, or stepping back and letting peace guide their thoughts. We will learn the lesson we want to learn, and it won’t be a lesson in politics however it seems. We are all learning and teaching purpose. Am I here to create and promote strife, or peace?
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