forgive

Why Worry? This Need Not Be!

The “Courage Bench” sits at West Point, overlooking the Hudson River!

I don’t know about you but there are several things going on in my life and in our Country’s life that make me worry.  I worry about the division that is making people blind these days.  Maybe it has always been and always will be BUT I don’t have to buy into it and take sides.  But my ego wants to of course.

Choose to “look within” and realize it is a choice to be worried but….this need not be!  Since it is a choice I don’t have to choose it…..do I?  What part of my mind is choosing?  Where is my decision maker? I have a “decider” in my mind that can choose!! A few days ago I caught a thought; actually it was a judgment (condemnation) about a person who was obese.  I “noticed” the thought and said “I don’t have to think this or believe this thought – so I don’t choose it.”  It was disturbing to think it!  I stopped the ego – this need not be! 

“When your mood tells you that you have chosen wrongly, and this is so whenever you are not joyous, then know this need not be. ³In every case you have thought wrongly about some brother (maybe yourself even) that God created, and are perceiving images your ego makes in a darkened glass.”(ACIM, T-4.IV.2:2-3)

That was it! I started seeing the beauty in that individual and the fine intelligent mind that out shown the form in every way. The judgment turned to acceptance and then opened to love.

One night I was worried sick about my son who was very late getting home.  I finally decided I would put him in “God’s Hands” and let it go.  This need not be!!  I went to bed. Everything was fine and even if it turned out differently, he was in God’s Hands forever where I had placed him.  The truth is WE, you and I are in God’s Hands too!  If we are in God’s Hands then what is there to worry about? “

“Search sincerely for what you have done and left undone accordingly, and then change your mind to think with God’s. ⁶This may seem hard to do, but it is much easier than trying to think against it. ⁷Your mind is one with God’s. ⁸Denying this and thinking otherwise has held your ego together, but has literally split your mind.” (ACIM, T-4.IV.2:5-8)

Denying that we are One with God has left us bereft and lonely.  When I am worried I am also sad because I made some mistake and wonder what the consequences will be and then that makes me anxious.  This is all 1000% ego thoughts!

“When you are sad, know this need not be. ²Depression comes from a sense of being deprived of something you want and do not have. ³Remember: you are deprived of nothing except by your own decisions, and then decide otherwise.   When you are anxious, realize that anxiety comes from the capriciousness of the ego, and know this need not be. ²You can be as vigilant against the ego’s dictates as for them.” (ACIM, T-4.IV.3:1–4:2)

And then I feel guilty because of the mistake – The Course tells us that only the ego can experience guilt and I am not my ego and neither are you!

“When you feel guilty, remember that the ego has indeed violated the laws of God, but you have not. ²Leave the “sins” of the ego to me. ³That is what Atonement is for. ⁴But until you change your mind about those whom your ego has hurt, the Atonement cannot release you. ⁵While you feel guilty your ego is in command, because only the ego can experience guilt. This need not be.  Watch your mind for the temptations of the ego, and do not be deceived by it. ²It offers you nothing.” (ACIM, T-4.IV.5:1–6:2)

The Course mentions “sin” in the above paragraph and defines sin as lack of love!  That’s it!  I’m not sure what Jesus means when he says “to leave the ego to him” but I trust he has a good plan. And the “Atonement” means that we are called upon to Remember we are One with God….That’s it!!  You don’t have to give yourself lashes with a whip or “atone” in some other way.  We just need to re-member or re-attach ourselves to the memory of God…..we never left God!  And if your ego has “hurt” someone tell them you are sorry- with your mind and send love or tell them in person. Why not? Don’t let the ego stop you. We SEEM to find ourselves alone in the world.  Not True!  He, God, is with you and will be with you Always because He is in your Mind and always will be.

“Watch your mind for the temptations of the ego, and do not be deceived by it. ²It offers you nothing. ³When you have given up this voluntary dis-spiriting, you will see how your mind can focus and rise above fatigue and heal.” (ACIM, T-4.IV.6:1-3)

DECIDE – to Watch your mind, all thoughts that judge and separate, negative and good thoughts both separate you from others and are dis-spiriting.   We are no longer in SPIRIT. 

The Course says this is a HABIT to be developed if you let your mind slip, and feel moody, just look and see what you have thought that God would not have thought.  Forgive – let it go!  You are FREE!

See Chapter 4. Section IV. This Need Not Be!!

God Bless – you ARE LOVED!!

Forgive: How to do it!

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When I don’t forgive I am in misery.  I am in doubt and afraid.  I am sad and confused and without a clue about what I should do.  I feel awful and nothing goes right.  My mind is like the branches of this big fir tree on the Pacific Crest Trail, going every which way and winding up….where?

“Forgiveness, on the other hand, is still and quietly noes nothing.  It offends no aspect of reality, nor seeks to twist it to appearances it likes.  It merely looks, and waits and judges not.  He who would not forgive must judge, for he must justify his failure to forgive.   But he who would forgive himself must learn to welcome truth exactly as it is.” ACIM Workbook pg. 401. 1. What is Forgiveness.

You can see forgiveness has three important aspects.

  1. Looks:  when I feel AWFUL like the above statement describes, I need to look carefully and notice the disturbed thoughts.  At this point I am in charge of my mind because my “decision maker” has decided to look.   I know I need help to look so I ask the Holy Spirit to help me see this problem/judgment differently.  I have not turned to the ego for help because it will help me hide under its dark wings of denial but I must look because that is where peace lies.
  2. Waits:  I have looked and now I wait for the peace to descend.  I have honestly looked at the problem, what I am in doubt about, what I have judged, am afraid of or sad and confused about.  I have withdrawn my projections (projections make perceptions) onto others and have either found it or aspects of it in myself.  I know peace will descend if it hasn’t already.  A “thought” my enter my mind and it will clarify things.
  3. Judges not:   If I keep ruminating over the problem or if I don’t see and withdraw the projections I will not have peace.  If I continue to judge I am afraid of love and I don’t want peace.  I must continue these three steps until I have what I want: PEACE

The Course In Miracles is a non-dualistic thought system.  We are not our bodies, we are living in a dream and the world is not real.  Nothing has happened therefore there is really nothing to forgive.  Do you forgive the person in your dream who has hurt you?  It’s a dream!  But since we believe the world is real, this practice of forgiveness helps us look at the illusion, our ego’s silly upsetting thoughts and ask the Holy Spirit or Jesus to help wake us up.

This practice of forgiveness does not accept that anyone has harmed you or ever could harm you.  You have harmed yourself by believing the egos judgmental thoughts and thinking you could be separate from God. That’s it!

Example:  When your family member annoys you, look at the annoyance and ask the Holy Spirit to see it differently.  Wait a bit and soon you will have a thought of a time when you annoyed them.   Ahhhh….there is the projection.  Then DO NOT judge yourself.  Just say “No big deal.”  I was wrong and now I am Happy.