Lesson 223
God is my life. I have no life but His.
What do these first few lessons in Part II have to do with forgiveness? Actually, the most essential part, forgiveness of oneself. It is the forgiveness of the idea that we ever thought we were separate from God. It is looking with compassion on the illusions we created, those that made us think we left the Queendom and fell from grace. It is knowing that we are, indeed, good enough as we are and that we have not failed God. In essence, forgiveness is letting go of any guilt we may hold within ourselves for what we “think” we have done or not done.
Forgiveness, as we have come to experience, is the forgiveness of what actually did not occur, “It sees there was no sin” (ACIM What is Forgiveness? 1:3). It takes courage to look at the world and the God we created. It takes courage to ponder the question, “Do I think God is mad at me or is punishing me?” It is valiant to peruse the mind for all the beliefs that led to manifesting a life we thought was without God. Sometimes the hardest one to forgive is ourself. Even when someone else wrongs us, we often condemn ourselves for letting such an event happen, adding to the weight of our perceived guilt.
Often, the toughest part of forgiveness is seeing the Light in ourselves and that we truly never “fell” from Heaven at all. It has been within us all along. Still, the hardest words to hear appear to be the ones that speak of our perfection: “You have never done anything wrong. You are perfect. Even in what you feel are your darkest moments, you are still the brightest Light.”
God has never left us, or us God. We have never left the Queendom, or It us. God and Heaven travel with us everywhere we go. It is impossible to be separate from the Truth, that we were created in God’s image. It is only our thoughts that make us believe we are separate. It is only our belief in condemnation that makes us continue to pay penance rather than just stand in our glory.
Today is another day where we come to unpackage any thought that keeps us from our Truth and abiding with God. We are One. Once more, we come in silence as we listen for the Truth to be whispered on our hearts and to fully feel that God moves our muscles, guides our thoughts, and breathes the air we breathe.
“I was mistaken when I thought I lived apart from God, a separate entity that moved in isolation, unattached, and housed within a body. Now I know my life is God’s, I have no other home, and I do not exist apart from Him. He has no Thoughts that are not part of me, and I have none but those which are of Him” (ACIM Lesson 223 1:1-3).
We never did anything wrong. We never sinned. We never missed the mark. We have only pretended that we have. But today, we are guided back to our rightful place. We recognize that we are a part of a Home we never left; that we are part of a force much greater than ourselves that never left us, nor condemned or judged us. We are only spiritual beings having a human experience. We do not have to take it so seriously. We are given free will and with each crazy idea, even the one for separation, God said, “YES!” We have been Her beautiful children playing on the playground, as She watched lovingly knowing that we could never be harmed, nor get anything wrong. She sees only our Divinity, even when we do not. How fortunate we are that She always holds us in Truth?
“Our Father, let us see the face of Christ instead of our mistakes. For we who are Your holy Son are sinless. We would look upon our sinlessness, for guilt proclaims that we are not Your Son. And we would not forget You longer. We are lonely here, and long for Heaven, where we are at home. Today we would return. Our Name is Yours, and we acknowledge that we are Your Son” (ACIM Lesson 223 2:1-7).
The real essence of today is can you experience yourself as the Light you are? Can you experience yourself as God known as You? Can you feel the God that IS you, move through you? Can you go beyond words, beyond any self-doubt or self-worth, and see that you are a Child of God and are absolutely perfect and whole? God Wills for you to experience yourself as Her.
Perhaps, take today’s prayer (above) off the page and into experience, by looking in the mirror and saying the words to the beautiful, perfect Light that you see in the mirror. I see You. It is time for You to see Your Self, the Godhead that is You. It is time for you to BE who you really are, who God created you to be. Namaste.
