ACIM Workbook Lesson 6 – for Thursday, January 6, 2011
Affirmation: “I am upset because I see something that is not there.”
Selected Passage:
“There are no small upsets. They are all equally disturbing to my peace of mind. (WB10)”
Reflections:
Minor irritation, ACIM says elsewhere, is no more than masked rage. So we are seeing in ACIM a system of thought that levels the playing ground. We cannot know peace until we give up all forms of upset–the minor as well as what we have perceived as the major.
We are never upset by facts, Jesus says elsewhere in ACIM, but always by an interpretation of those facts. And if it is an interpretation, we can alter it by our will, guided by the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes we magnify small upsets to make them larger than they need to be. It is an interpretation (not stated in ACIM) that this is the reason that we see things that are not there. We magnify, and thus we see amiss.
Jesus would have us eliminate all upsets from our minds, even though this is a utopia that is not likely to be seen until we reach the Awakening. When faced with an upset, immediately (and this means exactly that), turn to the Holy Spirit for guidance about what to say or do. The upset will diminish, in exact proportion to the extent to which we turn it over to a Higher Power.
Prayer:
Dear Father/Mother,
Let me eliminate all forms of upset today. I can imagine incidents that may happen; help me not to jump ahead of myself and to fantasize about what may never happen. Give me the grace to seek Your guidance in all things. When I seek Your guidance, the words that are given me will be higher and better than anything that I could conceive on my own. Tell me what to say today.
I would like a peaceful day, and I know that this is Your desire for me as well. Help me to do my part to bring about a peaceful day, knowing that You will always do Your part when I am able to cooperate fully.
Amen.
