HOW SHOULD THE TEACHER OF GOD SPEND HIS DAY?
page 42, paragraph 10
HOW SHOULD THE TEACHER OF GOD SPEND HIS DAY?
HOW SHOULD THE TEACHER OF GOD SPEND HIS DAY?
10. There is no substitute for the Will of God. ²In simple statement, it is to this fact that the teacher of God devotes his day. ³Each substitute he may accept as real can but deceive him. ⁴But he is safe from all deception if he so decides. ⁵Perhaps he needs to remember, “God is with me. ⁶I cannot be deceived.” ⁷Perhaps he prefers other words, or only one, or none at all. ⁸Yet each temptation to accept magic as true must be abandoned through his recognition, not that it is fearful, not that it is sinful, not that it is dangerous, but merely that it is meaningless. ⁹Rooted in sacrifice and separation, two aspects of one error and no more, he merely chooses to give up all that he never had. ¹⁰And for this “sacrifice” is Heaven restored to his awareness. (ACIM, M-16.10:1-10)
Guilt
What really stands out to me in this paragraph is this sentence:
⁸Yet each temptation to accept magic as true must be abandoned through his recognition, not that it is fearful, not that it is sinful, not that it is dangerous, but merely that it is meaningless.
Even beginning when I was a very young child I have always felt guilty for one thing or another. When I began to study the Course, I learned that guilt is never helpful. I started watching my mind for guilty thoughts and asking the Holy Spirit to help me see differently. But guilt had a deep root in my mind and I noticed that I felt guilty for having those thoughts. I felt guilty that the same thoughts would appear over and over again.
Innocent
I seemed never to get to the end of it. It felt very circular as I tried to relinquish guilt and then felt guilty for my apparent failures. When I did the lessons with the Holy Spirit’s help, many of His messages were directed at this guilt. He helped me to relax into the study and the processes. He reminded me often that I was innocent.
Choose Again
I read a very helpful passage in The Holy Spirit’s Interpretation of the New Testament. It says: “The choice you make will seem to be made many times in complete sincerity and truth of heart. And then you will seem to slip and forget the choice you have made. Do not let this distress you. Simply make the choice again.” That advice helped me let go of the concerns I had about my seeming failures.
Meaningless Appearances
Jesus has been trying to tell me all along that my substitute for truth is simply meaningless. The ego will insist I have reason to be afraid and feel guilty but this is wrong. There is only one thing I need to do and that is to accept that I have been mistaken. My mistakes have not changed anything.
I spent a long time learning to recognize my mistaken beliefs. I learned that they have no value so I can let them go. Then I learned that their effects are not real effects. Jesus talks about possibly having a phrase to say when needed that will help anchor me to the truth. The one I often use is, “I will disregard these appearances.”