Serving God’s Plan of Awakening & I Am Grateful for All Things

Serving God’s Plan of Awakening & I Am Grateful for All Things

Serving God’s Plan of Awakening

by Rev. Myron, Jones, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

Above all, I want to serve God’s plan. I want to serve it every day in every way. I know that I can because it was given me to do this. And I even know how to serve His plan. All I need to do is to be vigilant for the beliefs in the mind that must be undone with the Holy Spirit’s help. I know my part. 

In Lesson 23, Jesus tells us how to undo the ego: “This change requires, first, that the cause be identified and then let go, so that it can be replaced. The first two steps in this process require your cooperation. The final one does not.” (W-pI.23.5:2-4)

My part is to identify the cause, that is the belief that causes the world I see. Then, I am to let that cause, that belief, go. That’s it! That’s all I am to do. The third part is up to the Holy Spirit. Jesus goes on to say this: “Your images have already been replaced. By taking the first two steps, you will see that this is so.” (W-pI.23.5:5-6) These images we make with our beliefs have already been undone because the Holy Spirit corrected everything immediately upon the error being made.

Here is an example of how I have applied this lesson.

I didn’t sleep well last night so it occurred to me this morning that I may not be on top of my game. But the Holy Spirit has been teaching me that I don’t know what is in my best interests and that He does know. So, I let that belief in ‘not enough sleep’ go. I forgave it and it disappeared from my mind and as a result, the effects of that belief disappeared as well. Today has been a lovely day.

The only thing I need to do to experience a wonderful day is to turn my attention from the split mind. As a consequence, I begin to perceive it from the part of the mind in which the Holy Spirit abides.

This must be so since there are just these two options from which to choose. In making this choice, the Holy Spirit interprets everyone and all events for me. His interpretation is always in favor of our Self rather than our self. It is always an expression of Love.

Do you remember Lesson 34?

It says that I could see peace instead of this. “Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter. It must begin with your own thoughts, and then extend outward. It is from your peace of mind that a peaceful perception of the world arises.” (W-pI.34.1:2-4)

This is why I could so easily turn my day around this morning. I know that a peaceful day is a reflection of a peaceful mind. When I had the thought that I didn’t get enough sleep, I felt concern and so was not peaceful. I then remembered that there is another way of looking at that idea.

I decided I could replace this feeling of worry over lost sleep with peace. So, I made that choice. It is these simple reminders and different choices that guarantee I spend the day with my Father. I invite you to do the same.

I Am Grateful for All Things

by Rev. Myron, Jones, Ordained Ministerial Counselor

I am very grateful for my Guide. I get lots of help on this path, suggestions, teachings, and more, but everything passes through the Holy Spirit. It is in and part of me and the Truth and the Light that keeps me on the path to my Self. How could I not be grateful?   

I have shared with others a Pathways of Light course on gratitude several times. It is really good for me to do these courses with other people. We join in teaching and learning with each other. And gratitude is more meaningful to me now than it has ever been. I am now grateful for all things, even the problems. After all, they bring me the opportunity to heal the false thoughts in my mind.

I didn’t always appreciate the power of gratitude.

Before I began studying Pathways of Light’s Miracles Practitioner course 903: Gratitude for God’s Gifts, I didn’t really understand why gratitude was important. Now I marvel that there was ever a time I didn’t understand the power of gratitude. When I am grateful, I am peaceful and happy. My goodness, what else could I ask for?

I was feeling uneasy this morning. I wasn’t sure why that was, so I asked the Holy Spirit to show me what I needed to know. Thoughts from the day before began to parade through my mind. I had a glitch with my computer and I worried because it is old (in computer years) and I know I will have to replace it, probably sooner than later. That’s a big expense. My dishwasher is making an awful noise and that is going to have to be replaced as well. Another big expense. I am helping my son get back on his feet after a loss and so another big expense. Okay, I see now that I had fallen into the belief in lack and loss.

Using a gratitude list.

Something I learned studying Gratitude for God’s Gifts is to make gratitude lists to help establish truth instead of fear in my mind. I absolutely love this list of things I am grateful to have. This list is so much better than the lists I used to make, like, “I am grateful it’s not raining” and “grateful that I have enough money” and “grateful that I lost 5 pounds”. My new list, on the other hand, reflects my current beliefs perfectly.

I am grateful for what I am given through God; the Holy Spirit to guide and comfort me, peace and joy, the Love of God. And the recognition that I am one with All There Is and that I can let Holy Spirit set my goal in all my relationships, and so many more wonderful gifts.

I am so very thankful that God created me, that I am like God in every way. I am grateful that I am free to experience whatever I want but that the truth remains true. And I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit in my mind, guiding and comforting me as I return Home. I am grateful that I have a part to play and that I am constantly being guided to and through that part. I am grateful for how much I have accomplished in this lifetime. Also, I am grateful that I give as I receive and receive as I give. I have experienced gratitude returning to me tenfold and this increases my gratitude.

Gratitude is like a magic wand that I wave over any ego upset.

I remind myself of who I am and how grateful I am to have been created and that my Creator loves me very much. I remember that I am now and always will be exactly as God created me and gratitude floods my being. There are many thoughts of gratitude that I can use to pull myself out of any funk I might be in.

Of course, the thoughts of gratitude need to be deep enough to be meaningful to me, but that doesn’t usually take a lot of effort. I don’t even need something to be grateful for. That is just a way to kick-start a feeling of gratitude. Sometimes all I need to do is to think of God, to think of my true Self, or even just to stop a moment and wait expectantly for gratitude and soon, there it is, a warm wave of love and gratitude that rises up in me. All other thoughts and feelings subside in its wake.

Gratitude helps me let go of the belief in lack and loss.

I am not asking God to solve my financial problems. I am simply grateful for His love and His care.

“Today we will not doubt His Love for us, nor question His protection and His care. No meaningless anxieties can come between our faith and our awareness of His Presence. We are one with Him today in recognition and remembrance. We feel Him in our hearts. Our minds contain His Thoughts; our eyes behold His loveliness in all we look upon. Today we see only the loving and the lovable.” (W-124.4:1-6)

How could I not be eternally grateful to God? He gave me all of Himself in my creation. He made me God, just like Him. In absolute trust, He lovingly let me go my own way to play in the field of infinite possibilities. I am His treasure. He placed in me the call to joy so that when I was done with my play, I could always find my way Home. He created angels to watch over me and protect my mind from dark thoughts while I imagine myself far from Home. How could I be anything but grateful?

Just thinking about it sends waves of gratitude and love coursing through me. I’m no longer concerned about these future expenses. The future will take care of itself if I remember to place it in my loving Father’s Hands. None of these possible problems were the real problem anyway. It was my thoughts about them that caused me distress. I am beyond grateful that I have the power of decision. I can decide to change my mind and my experience changes with it. No more belief in lack and loss and the effects of that belief disappear as well. I am happy and at peace.

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