Day 129

Today's Lesson:

Beyond this world there is a world I want.

Today's lesson builds on yesterday's. We cannot stop with the idea the world is worthless, for unless we see that there is something else to hope for, we will only be depressed. Our emphasis is not on giving up the world, but on exchanging it for what is far more satisfying, filled with joy, and capable of offering us peace.

There is no loss in letting go all thought of value in this world. The world we see is merciless, unstable, cruel, unconcerned with us, quick to avenge and pitiless with hate. It gives but to rescind, and takes away all things that we have cherished for a while. No lasting love is found, for none is here. This is the world of time, where all things end.

Is it a loss to find a world instead where losing is impossible; where love endures forever, hate cannot exist and vengeance has no meaning? Is it loss to find all things we really want, and know they have no ending and they will remain exactly as we want them throughout time? Yet even they will be exchanged at last for what we cannot speak of, for we go from there to where words fail entirely, into a silence where the language is unspoken and yet surely understood.

We are so close to a world where communication is unambiguous and plain as day. A place where God Himself speaks to His Son, as His Son speaks to Him. Their language has no words, for what They say cannot be symbolized. Their knowledge is direct and wholly shared and wholly one. How near are we when we exchange this world for the world we want.

We are an instant's space away from timelessness. Here is the world that comes to take the place of the world we do not want, as we unbind our minds from little things the world sets forth to keep us prisoner. If we value them not, they will disappear. Value them and they will seem real to us.

This is the choice. What loss can be for us in choosing not to value nothingness? This world holds nothing that we really want, but what we choose instead we want indeed! Let it be given us today. It waits but for our choosing it, to take the place of all thing things we seek but do not want.

We can practice our willingness to make this change ten minutes in the morning and at night, and once more in between. Begin with this:

Beyond this world there is a world I want. I choose to see that world instead of this, for here is nothing that I really want.

Today the lights of Heaven bend to us, to shine upon our eyelids as we rest beyond the world of darkness. Here is light our eyes can not behold. And yet our minds can see it plainly, and can understand. A day of grace is given us today, and we give thanks. This day we realize that what we feared to lose was only loss.

Now we understand there is no loss. For we have seen its opposite at last, and we are grateful that the choice is made. Remember our decision hourly, and take a moment to confirm our choice by laying by whatever thoughts we have, and dwelling briefly only upon this:

The world I see holds nothing that I want.
Beyond this world there is a world I want.

Miracles I'm noticing:

It's so fun to get together with my Miracles study group because each week we not only study the lesson and the text, but we share what we're seeing in our own lives. It's great to see the progress each of us is seeing in our own lives by what we're learning here. It seems that nearly all of us are noticing that we are upset far less than we used to be by things that appear to be "out there." We're beginning to realize that there is no "out there" and "in here" so we see that everything that seems to happen to us is something for our benefit and our learning. We see that things that frustrate or upset us are merely mirrors for our behavior and being.

Personally, I notice that as I prepare for the Best of OD Summit in Chicago next week, I'm not stressed about the details like printing brochures and business cards and making sure I remember everything. I trust my abilities to take care of everything and I know that whatever happens will be what needs to happen. This allows me to be much more focused and efficient as I make the last minute plans for printing materials and designing my booth. I realize, maybe for the first time ever, that everything is part of the journey and getting upset about anything really doesn't serve any purpose.

Today's text tells us that the ego is trying to hold on to its version of reality and our investment in its version of reality comes without profit. No only is there no profit in the investment, the cost to us is enormous. This investment costs us the world's reality by denying ours, and gives us nothing in return. We cannot sell our soul, but we can sell our awareness of it. We cannot perceive our soul, but we will not know it while we perceive something else as more valuable.

We do not really want the world. The only thing of value in it is whatever part of it we look upon with love. This gives it the only reality it will ever have. Its value is not in itself, but ours is in us. The real world is the gift of the Holy Spirit, and so it belongs to us already.

What a great reminder that we need only go within to find the world we seek outside ourselves. That's a miracle!!