VI. Time and Eternity, P 12
12 Now you must learn that only infinite patience produces immediate effects. This is the way in which time is exchanged for eternity. Infinite patience calls upon infinite love, and by producing results now it renders time unnecessary. We have repeatedly said that time is a learning device to be abolished when it is no longer useful. The Holy Spirit, Who speaks for God in time, also knows that time is meaningless. He reminds you of this in every passing moment of time, because it is His special function to return you to eternity and remain to bless your creations there. He is the only blessing you can truly give, because He is truly blessed. Because He has been given you freely by God, you must give Him as you received Him.
Journal
That first sentence seemed strange when I first read it; infinite patience produces immediate effects. I wondered what does that even mean. At first glance it seems like a paradox but actually it makes perfect sense as we remember that time is not real, but simply a tool to be used to help us wake up. Once we no longer need time because we have come to our Self, time will cease to exist.
Here is how I think that works now. There is a wrong minded thought that I believe. I see that the thought is making me unhappy and so it must be an ego thought and one that I no longer want to believe. I give the thought to the Holy Spirit and ask that He remove it from my mind. Once that thought is gone, I no longer experience the unhappy effects produced by the thought.
Those effects showed up in my life as part of the story and that part of the story is no longer showing up so a chunk of time is removed, the chunk that would have been taken up with the stories that were manifested by the belief that is no longer in my mind. I don’t have those stories anymore because I have learned the lesson they represented, so the time needed to accommodate the story is wiped out.
Jesus says that we can save time in this way. In fact, he says that we can save thousands of years as our lessons are learned. So, this is the way that time is translated into eternity. Now how does infinite patience come in? We are told that infinite patience calls on infinite love. It is through calling on the Holy Spirit to translate our mistaken ego thoughts for us that we are calling on infinite love and allowing time to be undone.
The Holy Spirit is not only infinitely loving, He is infinitely patient as well, and through Him I am learning to use infinite patience too. The ego is very impatient and wants everything now and in its on way. Through a process of vigilance and trust I am learning a new way. I am learning to follow the guidance of Patience instead of listening to ego’s impatience.
The other thing in this paragraph that confused me is the last line in which I am told that I must give the Holy Spirit as I received Him. Because I wasn’t sure what I was being told, I asked Jesus how he means for me to use this. This is what was given to me:
“The Holy Spirit is the solution to the only problem you have, the separation idea. The Holy Spirit is the answer to every question, the response to every ego thought. You give what you have been given when you answer your brother’s ego words and actions with the Holy Spirit’s answer.”
I understand now how I give the Holy Spirit as freely as He was given me. When I feel like my brother’s words are an attack on me that is the ego response. I notice that response in my mind and immediately ask that it be translated into truth. I then understand that my brother is really asking for love and understanding and so I give him love, as I understand the fear behind his attack. If my brother is fearful and asking that someone understand this and love him, how could I not respond in love? This is the way I give the Holy Spirit as He was given me.