ACIM Lesson 336 Forgiveness lets me know that minds are joined.
Forgiveness is the means appointed for perception’s ending. Forgiveness sweeps away distortions, and opens the hidden altar to the truth.
Forgiveness lets me know that minds are joined.
ACIM Lesson 336
Forgiveness lets me know that minds are joined.
1. Forgiveness is the means appointed for perception’s ending. ²Knowledge is restored after perception first is changed, and then gives way entirely to what remains forever past its highest reach. ³For sights and sounds, at best, can serve but to recall the memory that lies beyond them all. ⁴Forgiveness sweeps away distortions, and opens the hidden altar to the truth. ⁵Its lilies shine into the mind, and call it to return and look within, to find what it has vainly sought without. ⁶For here, and only here, is peace of mind restored, for this the dwelling place of God Himself.
2. In quiet may forgiveness wipe away my dreams of separation and of sin. ²Then let me, Father, look within, and find Your promise of my sinlessness is kept; Your Word remains unchanged within my mind, Your Love is still abiding in my heart.
Forgiving Our Perceptions
To end this nightmare and remember our true Selves, we must begin by forgiving our perceptions. Before we had the idea of separation perception was unknown because there was only knowledge. So, our way back to that peaceful state is to first allow our perception to be corrected so that it is near to truth. This process is what the Course calls forgiveness. A way to think of it is letting go. That is to say, we let go of our own interpretations so that we can accept the Holy Spirit’s interpretation.
Choosing What to Believe
There are other ways to express this. For instance, we can notice our beliefs and seeing they are not helpful, choose to believe something else. This is so because all that occurred because of the tiny mad idea occurred at once and is still in our minds. And at the same time it occurred, it was corrected by the Holy Spirit and that is in our minds, too. We are in every moment choosing what we want to believe.
Don’t Choose Carelessly
Most of the time, we make our choices carelessly. I have learned to do this consciously. Here is an example. This morning, I realized I was thinking about how much pain I have in my hands. I was wondering if it would interfere with typing. So, I stopped what I was doing and took a moment to reconsider. The thought I had chosen was that I was in pain and it was a problem. I forgave that thought as I reached for a better one. Lesson 190 tells us that pain is not real. Therefore, that is the belief I chose instead. And I remind myself of my chosen belief as often as I need to.
Sickness is one belief, but health is a better belief. Poverty is a belief, but abundance is a belief closer to the truth. We are always choosing what we would believe and what we believe is true for us. It becomes our experience. I suffered a financial loss this month and my first thought was, uh oh. My second thought was one of abundance. I forgave the belief in lack and chose the belief in abundance. And because this choice is one I make consistently, the appearance of abundance came quickly. I am excited to form a consistent belief in health.
Bringing Beliefs into Alignment with the Truth
Neither the health of the body nor the health of my bank account is important in and of themselves. On the other hand, they are symbols of the beliefs I hold in my mind and that is important. Therefore, I want to bring all my beliefs and thoughts into alignment with the truth because this brings me closer to God. It eases me into the truth of who I am which is beyond perception and belief. It is beyond anything we can give words to.
To enjoy the Pathways of Light Insights on ACIM Lesson 336 click here.
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