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.”
Journal
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 my mind most of the time. Senseless, meaningless chatter, not my real thoughts.
My real thoughts can only be thoughts that are eternally true or they would not be what I 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.
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. So, what do I value? Knowing my Self, the extension of love, peace, these are of value.
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. When I do this, I will know that I have everything I ever desired or could desire.
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.
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.
Past Entry
What really jumped out at me today is that we don’t ask too much of life, but too little. I remember the first time I read that line I thought, “Great, this is what I am looking for; a way to have more.” After awhile I began to realize that having more in the world doesn’t make me happy. I need things, of course. I figure as long as I am here, I may as well enjoy it so I am glad when I bring neat things into my dream. But it is all like smoke in the wind. It comes and it goes. If I get attached to having these neat things, I am going to be disappointed.
Me: Holy Spirit, could you please talk to me about this? I know that I often value the valueless, and I want to stop doing it. Lately, I have noticed that I will start to buy something and then realize I don’t really want to.
Holy Spirit: Many of the things you buy are bought just from habit, not any real desire to have them. Sometimes you are still using shopping as a substitute for God. Notice when this happens. When you heard the phrase, “does it make your heart sing,” you immediately identified with that. Use this phrase when you consider buying, and you will know if you truly want it.
Me: Wow, Holy Spirit, if I do this my savings account will quickly fill up. As you talk to me about this, I realize that I do shop when I don’t really want anything. I have noticed lately that I am vaguely aware of this but had not explored my uneasiness. I guess I didn’t want to look closely at it or I would have to look closely at what I was avoiding with the shopping.
Holy Spirit: Thank you for your vigilance, Myron. I have always guided you, but you have not always chosen to notice. You are changing your mind about that now, and this will prove very helpful to you. Myron, don’t make this about whether you buy something or refrain from buying. Why are you buying? Do you think buying will bring you happiness? Do you think buying will fill you up? These are the motivations that indicate you are placing value where there is none. Are you buying because you think a new pair of shoes is going to bring you happiness or fill the emptiness in your heart? Or are you buying because you need a new pair of shoes, or because a particular pair of shoes delights you?
Shopping in an attempt to gain happiness is just one form of valuing what is valueless. When you look for someone to hang out with, not for the joy of joining with another, but because you feel empty, this is valuing what is valueless. If you cling to a relationship, or a particular form of that relationship because you think you need it to be happy, this too is valuing what is valueless. Many things you value because they support your specialness. This will never make you happy, and any satisfaction you feel will be fleeting. You are God’s own holy Son; you do not honor that truth when you place value where there is none. You were made for the eternal, not for the fleeting.
I received that message several years ago, and I notice that I have stopped using shopping as a substitute for God. Once in a while, I notice I am doing it again, but I catch it quickly now and stop. It is far more helpful to spend that time allowing God to fill me. My emphasis now is on ideas. 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. 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.