“While you continue to feel as if you do not understand miracles, you will be reluctant to believe in them or to see yourself as a miracle worker. Your belief in miracles and your belief in atonement or correction are the same thing. While you believe there is anything other than your own thinking that is in need of correction you think falsely. Right-thinking is the realm of miracles.” (ACOL, T2:12.5)
We ourselves must be changed first, before the world can be either meaningfully changed or created anew. This assertion belies the idea of the social gospel, a gospel that has been promulgated in our world, but without lasting effects. When we, still egos, go out into the world, seeking to make it better, we take ourselves with us, and an ego-self can’t but be mistaken in many of its thoughts, words, and deeds. When our thinking has been corrected by relying on the changes wrought by a loving heart, we are going to see our egos wither away. And with this change, a change that is atonement or correction, we will finally be in a position to effect true and meaningful change in our world, a change so profound that we will eventually cease to change what is here, and instead actually create a new world. This last, creating a new world, is what Jesus is about in A Course of Love, preparing our mind and heart to unify, and with this union to see our transformation into Christ-conscious beings.
The quotation for today alludes to the art of thought that was covered so thoroughly in the first Treatise. The art of thought is miracle-mindedness, miracle-readiness, and the miracle itself. It is accessed through a mind that is constantly attuned to prayer, being One with our Maker, the One Who is found residing deep within us, the One of Whom we are a part. When we turn to miracle-minded thinking, we are in prayer without a tedious attempt to move ourselves into prayer moment by moment. We are letting our Christ-Self, the egoless true reality of our being, out to play. And “play” is an operative word here, for our former seriousness is all of the ego. Christ knows not of laborious seriousness. Everything for the Christ-Self is effortless and easy, already accomplished on another plane, and just now being brought to our earth. (This last sentence is an interpretation, not stated in either ACIM or ACOL.)
We do not have to fully comprehend all ramifications of miracles in order to use miracles. But Jesus said in A Course in Miracles that personally-selected miracles are apt to be misguided. So we are to look to him to see what miracles we might be asked to perform. Later on in ACIM, we see that the Holy Spirit is our guidance; and in ACOL, we see that the Christ-Self guides. This is a simple progression, for the Self is whole, encompassing all of us in the embrace, and with holy instants we feel as one with Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Christ-Self. We live in the time of Christ now, and so we look to Christ-consciousness as our next step into true reality.
Miracles build on themselves. They will become constant for us as we dwell in a new state of mind and heart, a transformed mind and heart. And eventually, ACOL tells us, even miracles will be unnecessary. We will transcend even this, the holiest of our times now. Let us watch and wonder what other blessings are in store for us as we walk down a pathway strewn with flowers.
Prayer
The way back to You is not laborious and difficult. It is what is meant to happen to me, and You do make all things, all things not of the ego, smooth and easy. Help me to know Your will for me. It is my will as well, but for so long I didn’t realize this, and I felt sometimes like Jonah. Those days are long behind me, and for that I thank You. The way is smooth now, and easy. The path is clearly marked.
May my body, mind, and spirit rest in Your peace. The way to You is found in quiet contemplation, and as I give myself up to this, I sense Your Presence. This warm and good feeling feels miraculous to me. Let me know what miracles you want me to allow, and I will listen. I promise.
Amen.
MIRACLES EACH DAY 
Thank you, Celia, your post is so relevant to where I am in my walk with ACOL right now. This idea of the transformation of me, my heart/mind (and therefore form too) such that I am the accomplished. Somehow this concept is not new, but it is going deeper and deeper within me such that I can trust, live in peace with the now, feel confident in my (our) process. It all makes such sense! I spent many a year trying to make the world a better place without understanding about motivation and ego and my plans. That’s all changing!
Thank you so much, Paula. I appreciate the few whom I am coming to know in the Course of Love community.
Love, Celia