Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Lesson 118: Review: “God’s peace and joy are mine.” “Let me be still and listen to the truth.”
This lesson says, “Today I will except God’s peace and joy, in glad exchange for all the substitutes that I have made for happiness and peace.” The Course teaches us that we need to be willing to fully exchange what we previously consisted of within and actively replace this with peace and joy. The ego tends to cling to misery so it generally has huge resistance to accepting peace and joy instead. If we don’t make the exchange, and be certain to fill our minds instead of suffering with perfect peace, then we likely will end up with our egos being quick to refill our minds with the pain it usually maintains.
The mind doesn’t like a void. Thus, if we take out the problems, we must be willing to bring the opposite, peace and joy. We must be willing to fill our minds with only what we truly want, and not dabble around, forgetting to pay attention to this omission of the ego within. We have to turn around and bring the good stuff so it will be the foundation of our mind and hearts. When we do this, we have it made because we align our intention with peace so peace is the natural result. When we empty our minds from the suffering, then we can simply bring back the feeling that will always bring us utmost joy.
Sometimes listening to the Holy Spirit is a task we might not be prepared for. When we seek the Holy Spirit’s counsel we must find a spot of serenity within. We must get down from the ego’s perch, to sit right next to God. The Course says we are equally worthy of being God’s cherished heir. Therefore, we don’t have to feel reluctant to just sit down with God, in our minds, and give ourselves to God. Sometimes in this process I laughingly imagine myself sitting on God’s altar, giving the whole of me to God’s plan. When I surrender myself and anything I am attached to to God’s altar, then I end up feeling a peace about sharing myself with God because I give up my attachment to everything.
This sitting quietly and trustingly with God is the time when I can exchange honestly with God, authentically. I stop resisting this quiet conversation because I am clear about the gentleness of God’s voice. I stop being afraid and then I can come completely to the feet of God and sit listening for the voice that brings me solace. This is the way to join with God in conversation so I don’t miss a minute of His guidance and love.