Lesson 249: “What is the world?  “Forgiveness ends all suffering and loss.”

This lessons says, “Forgiveness paints a picture of the world where suffering is over, loss becomes impossible, and anger makes no sense.” 

The Course’s concept of forgiveness is so healing for me.

When we see something we need to forgive, the problem is that we are resisting what we see. 

There is always our own inner struggle and therefore, suffering, when we are not open to accepting what we see.  Forgiveness is what we must apply when we are needing to see the situation as one where we trust God’s solution to whatever seems to be ailing us or the situation.

Forgiveness is needed with our inner resistance to giving up control.

The problem that we see may appear to be outside of us, but the Course teaches us that the problem is always within us.

The world is an out-picturing of our minds. 

When we see a problem outside of us, the bottom line is we can definitely look within to find the source of problem, as well as a solution.

We must look at our own minds and hearts and find out where we are holding grievances in the situation. 

There is always the need to forgive when we are resisting the moment.  We may have grievances with other people, or the situation or ourselves or God or all of these, but the problem always comes back to the need for our own forgiveness.

When we forgive, then we find a way to live in harmony with the situation as it is. 

Forgiveness gives us the clear head that we are certain we want to have a shift in consciousness.

Forgiveness allows God to be the answer. 

Forgiveness is also a form of Love and is the only way to find a quiet acceptance of whatever turmoil we make see about us or that we may be engaged with in our own minds.  Forgiveness heals the situation in a way that always gives us peace of mind.

When we are not willing to forgive or are simply at our wits end- and don’t know how to forgive, we then suffer immeasurably. 

Suffering is what we absolutely want not to do.

God gives us forgiveness to give us a direct path to peace.  We just must trust that forgiveness is that happy option we can take emotionally to be open to being healed with God’s solution.

Our purpose is to make peace out of every situation.  This can be our mantra. 

We want to feel peace primarily for our own quality of life.  Maintaining our own peace is exactly what the doctor ordered for everyone because that is what makes life truly rich and a joy to experience.  We want to bring peace to the world as another part of our commitment.

The world is always in need of more love and kindness. 

With forgiveness applied, we can give the world a new and deepened experience of lightness and ease because it is sorely needed there.  Thus, we see that peace is always for our own benefit and the world’s.

But from there, we want to realize that we can have peace in every circumstance if we are willing to show up every day and be committed to doing this until we become really good at it.  

Forgiveness is the number one way to get to peace.

Our task is to stay focused on the primary goal, peace, and be clear, steady and dedicated to the process of bringing forgiveness to the table aways when we want to get that peaceful solution.

Forgiveness, as a tool, always works.