How to Pray - Forgiveness is Your Path to Miracles
I'm a big fan and student of A Course in Miracles, but at first the text and Lessons seem quite difficult to comprehend because the Course is written in iambic pentameter! Through this series of articles, it is my intention to share in a simple, easy-to-understand way, some of the words, prayers and lessons that have inspired me within the Course.
For those totally unfamiliar with A Course in Miracles it is a self-study spiritual thought system with a central theme that teaches the best way to achieve peace in our hearts and in the world, is by forgiving ourselves and others. It teaches us to look at everything through the eyes of God, including ourselves and recognize that all relationships are holy - most especially our relationship with ourselves.
This article is about Lesson 78 which touched me because it deals with how we keep our miracles away from ourselves by holding grievances against someone else. This Lesson also speaks about forgiveness, which is a consistent theme throughout the Course.
The quote that particularly touched me in this Lesson is: "Let me behold my savior in this one You have appointed as the one for me to ask to lead me to the holy light in which he stands, that I may join with him."
A bit of a mouthful eh? Don't stop reading yet! Let's break it down into sections and make it a little easier to understand.
So the first section -- "Let me behold my savior in this one" - yes, THAT one - the one that might have just sprang to your mind. It may be "the one" that usually springs to your mind because you've never quite reconciled "that" situation, or comment, or experience. Or perhaps it is something that someone just said to you that you didn't like, or that driver that cut you off on the freeway. The situation or circumstance doesn't matter - what does matter is that you have been giving him/her your power and your energy by holding on to your thoughts about the situation. And in that holding on - with two clenched fists - you can't reach your hands out to receive your miracles can you?
Hmmmmm . . . new idea? Did you perhaps just let out a big sigh that you didn't know you were holding?
Continuing with the next section: "you have appointed as the one for me to ask." I really like this because it allows us to view the situation from a completely different point of view . . . that God, in His Infinite Wisdom, and the Divine in each of us in our Infinite Wisdom, has created this person, this situation, as an opportunity to reclaim our divinity, which we have obviously temporarily forgotten.
This one, this person, this situation, this circumstance offers "to lead me to the Holy Light in which he stands" . . . acim author of course, in Truth, that person is a Child of God JUST LIKE ME AND YOU. Your Divine Self knows that and issues you an engraved invitation "that I may join with him."
There you go - a bridge to the miracle in one holy instant! By viewing this situation through the eyes of the Divine, then you get to make a choice to have your very own miracle! Which in and of itself is a miracle wouldn't you say? By choosing to see the Good, the God, the Divine, the Holiness in that person's heart, or situation, YOU get the GRAND PRIZE! The Gift!! The Miracle! You get to reclaim your divinity AND join with another in theirs! Does it really get any better than that?
In summary we have broken down this quote: "Let me behold my savior in this one You have appointed as the one for me to ask to lead me to the holy light in which he stands, that I may join with him" and now understand what a true gift it offers. Instead of seeing a conflict with another person, I can choose to see that I have an opportunity to see the Go[o]d in this person, which allows me to join with him and realize that we really are at one with each other because of the Go[o]d within each of us. And suddenly, I am no longer separated from my good, and neither is he. A win-win if ever there is one!
At the end of the day, the best way to bring the good into your life, is to unclench your fists, change your mind and allow your heart to open. All we have to do is recognize that every experience is an opportunity for our greater good, as long as we make the choice to see it that way.
May you always let miracles replace your grievances.
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