Commentary on ACIM Lesson 89
©2010 Rev. David Seacord
Reviewing Lesson 77 (I am entitled to miracles.)
and Lesson 78 (Let miracles replace all grievances.)
What is an 'entitlement', in a spiritual sense? Many of us were raised in the spiritual 'culture of unworthiness' that our surviving modern Christianity has (respectfully, I submit, in a lot of cases) devolved to (and I say that particularly as a contrasting reference to Early Christianity, which was full of a majestic communal fearlessness and the power of nowness, and a clear willingness to make the 'ultimate gift' for each other 'in God's Name'). Anyway, (as that is a side journey and a personal opinion) many course students come from a large variety of these 'you are sinners who must be saved' faiths. I am among them. Together, doing Course work (or any well-suited spiritual curriculum), we step by step unlearn the false of this from the true, a process which is, in some subject areas, much easier than in others.
In that light, to claim an entitlement from God can be difficult, and can jam us humans up a lot, emotionally. For instance, maybe I'd rather be passive about it, and humbly wait for God's blessings to 'chose me' as they are being doled out. That's much easier than saying to God 'Hey God, you gave your Word, now come through!' But God doesn't have a problem with that (show me WHAT God has a problem with, if you'd like to) because he loves us/me to be powerful. When we are being powerful, He knows he can get some 'action going'. (Do worry, this is not a message that you have to whip up some frenzy and unleash it on the unsuspecting world--- your unsuspecting world [----which, you're probably right---- 'Isn't Ready for It'].)
God is too smart for that. Just look and see. Doesn't He 'move your head around' in the most incremental of ways, almost so that you'd never notice, except that you're waking up, so you do? And doesn't He open your heart with the most exquisite and lightest of touches (most times, unless you need a kabong)? You gotta get this is an amazing best friend/God combo we've got amping things up in our lives. Yes? But dig this.... doesn't every father want his son as a best friend?
So, to God, He sees that when we claim an entitlement, we've become Ready for the next level, just like a biological father would. We're choosing to apply our own fertilizer to our own growth. This is simply being fully responsible for the divine nature that is our true Self. And that is not being greedy. In fact, it is the opposite of greediness. It is making yourself Ready to Serve, and as the lesson says, to fulfill the function God has given you.
It's worth underlining here that the function that God gives you is specific to you. NOBODY ELSE can do it as you would. You claim your true function, you claim your true, most on-point, on-target, most-fulfilled life. End of story. That is God's mega-thrill, to see each one of us do that.
I say that with some power, as I have (like many before me and all around me now too) given up a lot of material values and attachments (as distinct from possessions/money etc) to become God's Man. I testify that doing so has altered my life and my spirit to a richness that no amount of financial success only was ever going to provide. I am not talking material richness (which 'is available if claimed'). I am talking happiness richness. There is no satisfaction like being God's Man/Woman. It simply 'becomes you'.
Notice I did say 'becomes'. It is a process, at least for me it is (which you already know, if you are a regular reader). I do bottom out, fall into the pit, get lost.... all that, at times. Yet even all of that is 'in the plan' and non-accidental. Behind the scenes, it's still all miracles. Like I said a while back, it only depends on what power of magnification level you need to dial into to get the right view. And, the right view is: it's never not a miracle. Because, when you think about it, simply existing is a miracle.
And now I see why I was prompted to choose 'Frozen Wild Freedom' for today's art image. Beyond it's beauty is the miracle it holds. Over on the right, just on the far other side of the water, if you look you will see a Grizzly. So you know, God loves to paint too. The first time I saw that Grizzly was at least six months AFTER the painting was finished. Don't ask me how. Just say Cool. Way Cool, I'd say. (Which rhymes with:)
Namaste :-),
(But not to forget).... This I teach, that I may also so learn.
David
©2010 Rev. David Seacord
Reviewing Lesson 77 (I am entitled to miracles.)
and Lesson 78 (Let miracles replace all grievances.)
What is an 'entitlement', in a spiritual sense? Many of us were raised in the spiritual 'culture of unworthiness' that our surviving modern Christianity has (respectfully, I submit, in a lot of cases) devolved to (and I say that particularly as a contrasting reference to Early Christianity, which was full of a majestic communal fearlessness and the power of nowness, and a clear willingness to make the 'ultimate gift' for each other 'in God's Name'). Anyway, (as that is a side journey and a personal opinion) many course students come from a large variety of these 'you are sinners who must be saved' faiths. I am among them. Together, doing Course work (or any well-suited spiritual curriculum), we step by step unlearn the false of this from the true, a process which is, in some subject areas, much easier than in others.
In that light, to claim an entitlement from God can be difficult, and can jam us humans up a lot, emotionally. For instance, maybe I'd rather be passive about it, and humbly wait for God's blessings to 'chose me' as they are being doled out. That's much easier than saying to God 'Hey God, you gave your Word, now come through!' But God doesn't have a problem with that (show me WHAT God has a problem with, if you'd like to) because he loves us/me to be powerful. When we are being powerful, He knows he can get some 'action going'. (Do worry, this is not a message that you have to whip up some frenzy and unleash it on the unsuspecting world--- your unsuspecting world [----which, you're probably right---- 'Isn't Ready for It'].)
God is too smart for that. Just look and see. Doesn't He 'move your head around' in the most incremental of ways, almost so that you'd never notice, except that you're waking up, so you do? And doesn't He open your heart with the most exquisite and lightest of touches (most times, unless you need a kabong)? You gotta get this is an amazing best friend/God combo we've got amping things up in our lives. Yes? But dig this.... doesn't every father want his son as a best friend?
So, to God, He sees that when we claim an entitlement, we've become Ready for the next level, just like a biological father would. We're choosing to apply our own fertilizer to our own growth. This is simply being fully responsible for the divine nature that is our true Self. And that is not being greedy. In fact, it is the opposite of greediness. It is making yourself Ready to Serve, and as the lesson says, to fulfill the function God has given you.
It's worth underlining here that the function that God gives you is specific to you. NOBODY ELSE can do it as you would. You claim your true function, you claim your true, most on-point, on-target, most-fulfilled life. End of story. That is God's mega-thrill, to see each one of us do that.
I say that with some power, as I have (like many before me and all around me now too) given up a lot of material values and attachments (as distinct from possessions/money etc) to become God's Man. I testify that doing so has altered my life and my spirit to a richness that no amount of financial success only was ever going to provide. I am not talking material richness (which 'is available if claimed'). I am talking happiness richness. There is no satisfaction like being God's Man/Woman. It simply 'becomes you'.
Notice I did say 'becomes'. It is a process, at least for me it is (which you already know, if you are a regular reader). I do bottom out, fall into the pit, get lost.... all that, at times. Yet even all of that is 'in the plan' and non-accidental. Behind the scenes, it's still all miracles. Like I said a while back, it only depends on what power of magnification level you need to dial into to get the right view. And, the right view is: it's never not a miracle. Because, when you think about it, simply existing is a miracle.
And now I see why I was prompted to choose 'Frozen Wild Freedom' for today's art image. Beyond it's beauty is the miracle it holds. Over on the right, just on the far other side of the water, if you look you will see a Grizzly. So you know, God loves to paint too. The first time I saw that Grizzly was at least six months AFTER the painting was finished. Don't ask me how. Just say Cool. Way Cool, I'd say. (Which rhymes with:)
Namaste :-),
(But not to forget).... This I teach, that I may also so learn.
David
posted by Rev. David Seacord at
8:06 PM
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