ACIM Lesson 314 I seek a future different from the past.
From new perception of the world there comes a future very different from the past. Death will not claim the future now… . Who can grieve or suffer when the present has been freed… .
I seek a future different from the past.
1. From new perception of the world there comes a future very different from the past. ²The future now is recognized as but extension of the present. ³Past mistakes can cast no shadows on it, so that fear has lost its idols and its images, and being formless, it has no effects. ⁴Death will not claim the future now, for life is now its goal, and all the needed means are happily provided. ⁵Who can grieve or suffer when the present has been freed, extending its security and peace into a quiet future filled with joy?
2. Father, we were mistaken in the past, and choose to use the present to be free. ²Now do we leave the future in Your Hands, leaving behind our past mistakes, and sure that You will keep Your present promises, and guide the future in their holy light.
From a New Perception Comes a New Future
This is what is happening in my life. I have been vigilant and consistent in being aware of ego thoughts. Furthermore, I have been willing to be corrected so that these thoughts are giving way to the truth. In this way, I am leaving past thinking and past behaviors behind. They are not true and they are not helpful so why would I want to keep repeating them? I have learned that I do not want to keep perpetuating what doesn’t work. In the process, I learned that I don’t have to do this and I learned how to choose differently.
Changing My Mind About Defensiveness
For a while, it seemed that this process would never end. It felt like nothing was changing, but I stayed the course and I trusted. Eventually, I realized that slowly, everything was changing. In the past, someone might speak harshly to me and I would defend myself. Then I would remember that it is in my defenselessness that my safety lies. I would ask the Holy Spirit to correct my thinking and as a result, I would return to peace. I discovered that peace is more important to me than anything else. This led me to a different way to approach the world. This is an example of how I learned to leave the past behind.
Grievances and Betrayal
Here is another example. I used to hold onto grievances as if they were saving my life and I suppose I believed they were. If someone betrayed me, I kept that betrayal in my mind. My thinking was that by holding onto the grievance, I was protecting myself from future betrayal. As it turned out, I was only defending myself from future love. It seems that a wall that is built to keep out hurt also keeps out love. I learned to be aware of when I was falling for this lie and I learned to choose healing instead. Through the healing forgiveness brings, I came to realize that I was always doing this to myself. I forgave the very idea of betrayal and without that belief, I could not be betrayed. This is another way that I left the past behind.
A Present Freed of the Past
There are many beliefs that no longer have a place in my mind. For instance, I am not interested in victimhood anymore. Nor do I believe that I can be unfairly treated. I stopped thinking that I am a good judge of anything. Instead, I ask the Holy Spirit for His judgment. Guilt was the hardest belief for me to release, and sometimes it tries to resurface, but I am determined.
As I left many old beliefs behind, I discovered the peace and love that has always been in me. As it turns out, we can be aware of fear or aware of love; we cannot be aware of both at the same time. I learned that I could choose which I wanted to focus my attention on. In so doing, I taught myself that I preferred the joy of peace and love and so began to choose only that. Now, from this new perspective, the future is no longer a repetition of the past errors. It is more often an extension of the brighter, happier present. I continue my vigilance in expectation of a completely healed mind and so a wholly joyful future.
To enjoy the Pathways of Light Insights on ACIM Lesson 314 click here.
If you found this content helpful, please share on social media so more people can read and learn.