A Course in Miracles Workbook Daily Lessons 307, Year 2022

ACIM Daily Lesson 307 Conflicting wishes cannot be my will.1. Father, Your Will is mine, and only that. ²There is no other will for me to have.

Lesson 307

Conflicting wishes cannot be my will.

1. Father, Your Will is mine, and only that. ²There is no other will for me to have. ³Let me not try to make another will, for it is senseless and will cause me pain. ⁴Your Will alone can bring me happiness, and only Yours exists. ⁵If I would have what only You can give, I must accept Your Will for me, and enter into peace where conflict is impossible, Your Son is one with You in being and in will, and nothing contradicts the holy truth that I remain as You created me.

2. And with this prayer we enter silently into a state where conflict cannot come, because we join our holy will with God’s, in recognition that they are the same.

Can There Be a Separate Will?

This lesson emphasizes the main problem we have. We think we made a will separate from the will we share with God. In addition, we believe this will is valuable and what we want rather than our true will. This is absurd, of course. We are part of God and exist in Him; how could our will be different than what we are part of? But let’s look at this separate will we value so highly. What does it gain us? What does it cost us?

First, what do we think having a will different from God’s will does for us? What do we think we gain from it? Evidently, we believe that being separate from each other and being special is worth whatever it costs. If I were to wish for some form of specialness, what would that be? Maybe to be beautiful and rich. Maybe to be famous, a highly successful actress or singer. Or maybe famed for my scientific accomplishments, the winner of awards and accolades. Perhaps to be loved and adored by someone special.

What I have noticed is that specialness doesn’t always occur in a positive way.

Strangely enough, we often vie to win the most pathetic place or maybe the sicker. Others want to be known as the most violated, the most abused and victimized. It doesn’t seem to matter as long as it makes us special. I’m sure that most of us have been in a conversation that sounded like that.

However, being separate brings some inevitable consequences. Now that we have considered some of the ‘advantages’ of being separate from God let’s look at what it cost us. For instance, in a world of separation, competition is unavoidable. Consequently, this means someone wins, and someone loses. This automatically puts us at war with each other.

We war first in our minds and then possibly with our words and actions. In our relationships, when our goal is to triumph, love is left behind. One can’t compete and love at the same time. On the global level, the same effects of competition are sometimes catastrophic.

Being in constant conflict has its effects on our bodies as well as our minds. We suffer sickness and pain. As well anxiety and depression are commonplace conditions among us. Being in competition leads to greed and more suffering. The greedy suffer from insatiable neediness and the effects of victimizing others in their quest for satisfaction.

The next question is, what do we gain if we let go of this foolish desire to do the impossible?

There is no more loss or lack, no more fear or guilt. Sickness and death are unknown and inexperienced. All that we know are eternal joy and perfect uninterrupted peace. We will know Love as it exists eternally and universally. This is instead of love as the twisted version separation has made of it. Clearly, forgetting about a personal will, which is impossible anyway, is the better choice.

It is the only choice. Let us set aside our error and allow the Holy Spirit to heal our sick minds. Let us remember our true will, which is the Will of God. How could it be otherwise? We were created as an extension of God. How could we be different? How could we have a will unlike God’s Will? It is time to awaken from the dream that has caused us so much suffering. It is time to accept our reality, don’t you think?

I am aware of an ego will and a holy will, both of which are in my mind.

The ego will is apparent in my desire to judge and choose what I would believe to be true. It shows itself as high emotion and guilt. The ego will is known for its instability, expressing a desire for first one thing and then another, with no concern that they are often conflicting choices.

I also have a holy will that is a reflection of God’s Will. This will brings me happiness and peace of mind, but only to the degree that I accept it and live it. I cannot have both wills at the same time. So, I must choose, and that is the only choice I make here. I have learned to choose to live by my holy will more often than not, and that changed everything about my life. I continue this practice, and my goal is to choose only my holy will in every circumstance.

2015

Yesterday, I began in peace and gratitude and with a desire to see my brother as the Christ that he is in reality. In fact, I could not imagine seeing him any other way, so deep was my conviction. Then I got to work. Ha ha. It seemed like I was being attacked by everyone, and it was coming so fast I could hardly keep up.

Here is what it felt like. I felt heavy and like I was walking around in a dark cloud. I wanted to be out of this situation, to retire today or find a new job. And, in defense, I wanted to return the attacks and so make them stop. “Let me not try to make another will, for it is senseless and will cause me pain.”

Here is what I did. I observed. I noticed all this was happening. And I asked for help even as I was deeply caught up in it. I also noticed how my interpretation of these incidents affected how I spoke to others and how impossible it is to be the light if you have accepted darkness as your state. Conflicting wishes cannot be my will, so clearly, I was doing my thinking with the ego mind where conflict is normal and expected.

Later, after I returned home and all was still, I sat with this and asked for clarity.

First, I was shown that nothing actually happened. I was not attacked even once by even one person. It was my interpretation of the events that made me feel attacked. In fact, as the light slowly dawned on me, I saw how unexpectedly kind everyone was to me.

I noticed that I felt guilty for not doing better. I was reminded that time does not exist and that right now is the only time there is. At that now moment, I was given the opportunity to forgive the day and myself and laugh at the whole absurd drama. So I did that, and at that moment, the clouds lifted, and all was light. Whew! “Your Son is one with You in being and in will, and nothing contradicts the holy truth that I remain as You created me.”

Here is what I learned.

There is still in my mind the belief that I could be a victim and unfairly treated, and as long as I believe that, situations that prove it will continue to show up in my life.

I am free to forgive and accept healing at any point. I can do this during or after an incident, and it is as effective either way.

The thought in my mind affects the entire mind.

The ego mind will always believe in guilt, but I am not the ego, and so I can reject that judgment.

I can dispel the clouds and return to light at any time, but I need help to do so. My part is to want it and to accept it, the rest is done for me. Once done, the drama of the situation dissipates, and it becomes simply a lesson well learned.

Contemplation 2025

To enjoy the Pathways of Light Insights on ACIM Lesson 307 click here.

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