ACIM Workbook Lesson 21 – for Friday, January 21, 2011
Affirmation: “I am determined to see things differently.”
Selected Passage:
“You will become increasingly aware that a slight twinge of annoyance is nothing but a veil drawn over intense fury. (WB32)”
Reflections:
The chosen passage for today is a crucial step in understanding the message of A Course in Miracles. Because we live in a world of illusion (a “dream”–an ACIM tenet), then our forgiveness of our brothers and sisters is always justified. They are innocent, in a state of grace. We do not pardon real things that have happened out of the “goodness” of our hearts. We pardon because nothing real has actually happened; our Self has not been damaged in any way. And this is why anger and attack are never justified (ACIM tenets).
We see today in this lesson that mild annoyance is just as disturbing to our inner state as intense fury. This emphasis is characteristic of ACIM. There is nothing “partial” in our world; the smallest emotion is given as much credence as that happening which would arouse tremendous emotion.
We want to see ourselves, as well as our brothers and sisters, “differently.” We want to be able to forgive with a whole heart, holding nothing back. When we have studied ACIM, this blessing is what is held out to us. We will have true vision. We will see differently.
Prayer:
Dear Father/Mother,
Help me to arrest my slight twinges of annoyance at the start, before they mushroom into intense fury. Jesus says that actually the emotions are the same, with the former only a veil over intense fury. May I forgive in the beginning of feeling attacked; this will abort the anger that seems automatically to arise.
I love my brothers and sisters, and I would do them no harm. They deserve pardon (forgiveness). My real Self has never been damaged by any attack, which is actually an illusion in this world. May my illusions (dreams) not mislead me today.
Amen.
