Here is the answer to your search for peace, all questions answered, the end of all uncertainty ensured at last. The unforgiving mind is full of fear, torn with doubt, sees only sins, is in despair, without the prospect of a future which can offer anything but more despair. Forgiveness is acquired, not inherent in the mind. As sin is an idea you taught yourself, forgiveness must be learned by you as well, but from a Teacher other than yourself, Who represents the other Self in you. Each unforgiving mind presents you with an opportunity to teach your own how to forgive itself. Each one awaits release from hell through you, and turns to you imploringly for Heaven here and now. It has no hope, but you become its hope. And as its hope, do you become your own. The unforgiving mind must learn through your forgiveness that it has been saved from hell. And as you teach salvation, you will learn. Yet all your teaching and your learning will be not of you, but of the Teacher Who was given you to show the way to you.
Think of someone you do not like, who seems to irritate you, or to cause regret in you if you should meet him; one you actively despise, or merely try to overlook. It does not matter what the form your anger takes. You probably have chosen him already. He will do. See him in your mind, and look at him a while. Try to perceive some light in him somewhere; a little gleam which you had never noticed. Try to find some little spark of brightness shining through the ugly picture that you hold of him. Look at this picture till you see a light somewhere within it, and then try to let this light extend until it covers him, and makes the picture beautiful and good. Look at him for a while in this light, and turn your mind to one you call a friend. Transfer the light you learned to see around your former "enemy" to him. Perceive him now as more than a friend to you, for in that light his holiness shows you your savior, saved and saving, healed and whole. Let him offer you the light you see in him, and let your "enemy" and friend unite in blessing you with what you gave. Now are you one with them, and they with you. Now have you been forgiven by yourself.
Forgiveness is the key to happiness. I will awaken from the dream that I am mortal, fallible and full of sin, and know I am the perfect Son of God.
Addendum from ELENA
(L 121: 2:1)The unforgiving min is full of fear and offers love no room to be itself…
“You see yourself as vulnerable, frail and easily destroyed, and at the mercy of countless attackers more powerful than you.” (T-22.VI.10.6)
(L 121: 4:1)The unforgiving mind sees no mistakes, but only sins.It looks upon the world with sightless eyes and shrieks as it beholds its own projections risking to attack its miserable parody of life.It wants to live, yet wishes it were dead.It wants forgiveness, yet it sees no hope.....
“The secret of salvation is but this: that you are doing this unto yourself. No matter what form of the attack, this still is true. Whoever takes to the role of enemy and of attacker, still this is the truth. Whatever seems to be the cause of any pain and suffering you feel, this is still true. For you would not react at all to figures in the a dream you knew that you were dreaming. Let them be as hateful and as vicious as they may, they could have no effect on you unless you failed to recognize it is your dream. “(T-27.VIII.10).
3 comments:
What perfect timing for this lesson, before our Sunday meeting! Of course. :-)
This lesson has to be my favorite, so far. In my life, forgiveness has not come easy, or fast, but it has come, through the gift of time and practice and with the help of this course. I thank God for time, and so glad I was and am able to forgive more readily and easily as time seems to go by. It's easy to forgive when things are going well. I pray for strength and the Holy Spirit's eyes when things aren't going well or seem unforgivable.
Sharon since we posted this lesson at the same time. I consolidated our posts and deleted my orignal post. I'm inspired to re-focus our Sunday meeting on forgiveness.
" forgiveness turns the world of sin into a world of glory... There is no sadness and there is no parting here... and what has been forgiven must join, for nothing stands between to keep them separte and apart.." (~acim) In space left vacant by sin, guilt, and grievances, we join in perfect oneness.
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