Nov 18th 2015 Review II
Lesson 83
Review of Lessons 65 - 66
- Intention: We are now ready for another review. We will begin where our last review left off, and cover two ideas each day. The earlier part of each day will be devoted to one of these ideas, and the latter part of the day to the other. For each idea, we will have one longer exercise period, and frequent shorter ones in which we practice each of them.
- Long Practice: Spend a total of about fifteen minutes thinking about each each idea and its associated comments. Devote some three or four minutes to reading them over slowly, several times if you wish, then close your eyes and spend the rest of the time listening attentively.
Repeat the first phase of the exercise (slow reading) if you find your mind wandering, but try to spend the major part of the time listening quietly but attentively. There is a message waiting for you. Be confident that you will receive it. Remember that it belongs to you, and that you want it.
Do not allow your intent to waver in the face of distracting thoughts. Realize that, whatever form such thoughts may take, they have no meaning and no power. Replace them with your determination to succeed. Do not forget that your will has power over all fantasies and dreams. Trust it to see you through, and carry you beyond them all.
Regard these practice periods as dedications to the way, the truth and the life. Refuse to be sidetracked into detours, illusions and thoughts of death. You are dedicated to salvation., Be determined each day not to leave your function unfulfilled.
- Short Practice: Repeat the original form of the idea often, and apply it for general situations. When appropriate, use the specific forms included in the comments which follow the statements of the ideas. These, however, are merely suggestions. It is not the particular words you use that matter.
(65) My only function is the one God gave me.
I have no function but the one God gave me. This recognition releases me from all conflict, because it means I cannot have conflicting goals. With one purpose only, I am always certain what to do, what to say and what to think. All doubt must disappear as I acknowledge that my only function is the one God gave me.
More specific applications of this idea might take these forms:
My perception of this does not change my function.
This does not give me a function other than the one God gave me.
Let me not use this to justify a function God did not give me.
(66) My Happiness and my function are one.
All things that come from God are one. They come from Oneness, and must be received as one. Fulfilling my function is my happiness because both come from the same Source. And I must learn to recognize what makes me happy, if I would find happiness.
Some useful forms for specific applications of this idea are:
This cannot separate my happiness from my function.
The oneness of my happiness and my function remains wholly unaffected by this.
Nothing, including this, can justify the illusion of happiness apart from my function.
Insights/Comments:
- Since forgiveness is our only true function here in this world--for it is the only one God gave us, and since our happiness and our function are one, then the obvious conclusion is that our forgiveness and our happiness are unified.
It is easy to acknowledge that happiness is what we all want, that it is the goal and therefore the ultimate motivation of every action we take, even when we perceive that action in terms of the lessening of whatever makes us unhappy. It is not obvious, however, to realize that my happiness is inextricably tied to my holy function of forgiveness. Therefore: to forgive is to be happy, forgiveness is the source means and goal of my happiness. My happiness increases or decreases in direct proportion to the level of my forgiveness, and without forgiveness I cannot be happy. Clearly we need to understand forgiveness for it is critically important for my happiness.
So what is forgiveness, and what does it mean to forgive? How do we apply it in our relative life in various situations? The answer to the latter, fortunately, is quite simply the golden rule: Do onto others as we would have them do unto us, and when we fall short of this, then we should forgive as we would want to be forgiven. I call it the golden rule with a safety net :) The additional benefit is that we are then performing our holy function, and increasing our own happiness and the happiness of the world. Do we need more motivation than this to practice forgiveness?
Forgiveness rests on the knowingness that we are all the holy children of God and therefore immortal and already immune to any apparent danger. Furthermore, everything that occurs, occurs for our own benefit and edification, in spite of appearances to the contrary. We are the co-creators with God in all things, and so whatever is happening is happening because we want it to, even though we do not remember our higher purpose for wanting what apparently seems unpleasant or even horrific. At some level we wished it to be as it is, otherwise it would not be. What then is left for us but acceptance of what is, and surrender to our higher knowingness that knows in the least that all situations in life are opportunities for us to practice our function of forgiveness, which alone is the means to our happiness. We surrender to what life is asking of us in each moment to the best of our ability, according to the level of trust our knowledge and experience allows, knowing that it is for our highest good, for ultimately we have only ourselves to forgive.
