Lesson 190: “I choose the joy of God instead of pain.”

The problem is, the Course points out, that we don’t know the difference between pleasure and pain. 

The world claims thunderously that pleasure always stems from external sources.

We become numb to the pain in the world because that is the only way we can sufficiently cope with it. 

It is exceedingly shattering to always be in pain.  We attempt to block it out from our awareness via the hazy numbness that seems to pervade all that we find in the world’s package.

The Course says that we need a wake up call, which can only come from God, because God is the only one with correct information.  

Our ego lashes out aggressively in opposition to our mind and forces us to believe its lunacy.  We discover by trial and error that the world is always without meaningfulness because what we gain there is no gain indeed.

The world has nothing but an empty cup that is camouflaged as a well. 

Our finding lasting joy there is never realized and we soon learn that the world gives us nothing but heartache.  Because, we can feel this when we listen within.  What we need to do is not become attached to the outcome the ego wants us to see when we look to the world for solace.

We need to simply open our eyes.  

This is a huge step and takes great courage.

To see the world for what it is requires immense bravery coupled with a heart that is truly willing to be open. 

We are just learning that the world’s idea of pleasure is in fact a definite pain.  We were mistaken when we stopped allowing this truth to be known to our inner selves. We, now, are in a position where we can understand pain is not pleasure, as the ego is fond of saying.  We just have to understand that we get misled all the time by the ego.  The ego wants us to bow down to idolize the world of pain and declare it true happiness.

We often start to worship this pain and try to pretend it is pleasure because we just don’t realize the truth.

We get misled in a million different ways.  The Course says- just make a break from that insanity the ego feeds us.  We can never be satisfied with the world’s lures.

The world is nothing but an ceaseless nightmare in disguise.

We are simply asked to realize this and take the part we must take to get us out of this position.  The Course says that our purpose is to choose God.  We have nothing that is wrong, just a mistaken perception.

We must get honest with ourselves and admit that what we have been doing emotionally is not working.  

Then, the next step is easy.

All we have to do is give our minds to God. 

We have been in error.  But God is totally happy to set us straight.

God lovingly points out our error and reminds us to be willing to make a clear decision that we don’t know actually what pain and pleasure are.

We have become so confused by the world’s iterations.

We just have to understand we are not at fault for being confused but we do absolutely need to choose God instead to decipher what are pain and pleasure.  God is always the one to set us straight because God loves us more than anything else.  God cares that we no longer suffer.

We jus have to be willing to be the instrument that brings our minds to God for correction and clarity because we can.