Lesson 147 

 My mind holds only what I think with God.

“I will not value what is valueless.”

“Let me perceive forgiveness as it is.”

REVIEW

My mind holds only what I think with God.

Once again, I remind myself that my mind holds only what I think with God. If my thoughts wander to thoughts unlike those I would think with God, it is because I am not truly thinking. I am reminded of an early lesson in which Jesus refers to “the thoughts we think we think” and this is all that is going on in the mind most of the time. Senseless, meaningless chatter, not real thoughts.

Real thoughts can only be thoughts that are eternally true or they would not be what we think with God. It is helpful for me to remember that what I think with God does not mean I am “thinking” with words. I remember that words are but symbols and so God would not think in words. If they seem to have words it is only my mind trying to find a way to express the “thought”.

I will not value what is valueless.

What has value? It can only be that which is eternal. What changes or ends is not worth anything. The things I used to value and some useless stuff I still value are forms that express desires and those desires, for the most part, come from my ego-mind. Anything that is a want or a need is an expression of not having and so it is not eternal or I would have it already as it would have been given me in my creation.

I have valued many ideas that have no value, and I am learning that I don’t really want them anymore. Here is one of the ideas I have spent a lifetime believing in and defending. I have believed that I need to be in control of my life. This idea drove nearly everything I did. Now I am learning the freedom of surrendering control.

How about the freedom from needing to be right? And the freedom from needing to protect my image? I love letting go of the valueless! I forgive the silly ideas I have had about these things. I still have relationships that I value above other relationships. If I were to lose these particular relationships, I would feel devastated.

I understand the concept that love is universal. I know that it is possible to love the one who is in front of me and when he is gone to feel no loss because I simply love the next one who is in front of me. And if no one is in front of me, love is not diminished and I still feel it. Right now, that is a little more than just a concept, but I still remain unconvinced.  I am willing, though, and look forward to my inevitable healing.

Let me perceive forgiveness as it is.

How do I return to the knowledge that I have these valuables? I forgive everything that is not of God. I forgive the idea of separation, the idea that God is a human with human frailties like anger, vengeance, the desire to punish. I forgive the belief in guilt, fear, the need to win, pain, suffering, and death. In other words, I forgive the world and with it, the idea of a separate needy self. I forgive and release these false beliefs. As I do this, the desire for useless trinkets has fallen away and the memory that I have everything I ever desired or could desire returns.

REGINA’S TIPS

What good news yesterday’s lesson was. “No one can fail who seeks to reach the truth.” And yet, one must be honest about her seeking. To say she seeks the truth, but to look to the world for happiness, is to be dishonest with her self. One who seeks the truth seeks inward, toward the great ocean of life-awareness, which is the true Self. “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” ~ Luke 17:21

With this, it is clear that ample time given to awareness-focused meditation is an important part of surrendering to the desire for truth realization. I do not deny this. I embrace this fact, and I take time each day for that most direct path. In addition, I remain aware of truth during my daily activities.

The review instructions say, “…place His Mind in charge of all the thoughts you will receive… And so each one will bring the message of His Love to you, returning messages of yours to Him. … And as His Own completion joins with Him, so will He join with you who are complete as you unite with Him, and He with you.”

It is with this thought that I contemplate today’s review lessons:

I will not value what is valueless. I will not value what is passing. I will be with it, because it is here now, but my heart’s value shall remain with the eternal, and my awareness will rest gratefully with the heart.

Let me perceive forgiveness as it is. When I notice my mind has gone to unnecessary thinking about temporary circumstances or wishes, I bring my attention back to the heart and the eternal. Here I abide as I go through the normal activities of my day. I rejoice in silent contemplation of truth.

MY THOUGHTS

I know the world is not going to bring me happiness. Happiness is my nature and thus it is a choice I make to be happy, that is, to be my Self. Every time I choose happiness rather than to react to the world, the memory of Self gains clarity for me. When I look to the world, I reinforce the untrue belief that I am something less than I was created.

This is what I relate to the most from Regina’s tips: “I will not value what is passing. I will be with it because it is here now, but my heart’s value shall remain with the eternal, and my awareness will rest gratefully with the heart.” I have noticed this shift in me. I used to get completely lost in my story, then I would get lost sometimes. Now, I never get lost in it. I experience it, but there is a rock-solid knowing that I am not this and that “this” is temporary and so not reality. That knowledge never leaves me anymore. Thank you, God, for that.