Day 348

Today's Lesson:

I have no cause for anger or for fear,
For You surround me. And in every need
That I perceive, Your grace suffices me.

Father, let me remember You are here, and I am not alone. Surrounding me is everlasting Love. I have no cause for anything except the perfect peace and joy I share with You. What need have I for anger or for fear? Surrounding me is perfect safety. Can I be afraid, when Your eternal promise goes with me? Surrounding me is perfect sinlessness. What can I fear, when You created me in holiness as perfect as Your Own?

God's grace suffices us in everything that He would have us do. And only that we choose to be our will as well as His.

Miracles I'm noticing:

The first thing I wanted to do after reading this lesson was look up the word "grace" in the glossary from A Course in Miracles. So here is what it says:

Grace

Root meaning: A pure blessing or a state of pure blessing, given by God, which makes no demand on the receiver, which the receiver must do nothing to contribute to or earn.

Christian: An undeserved gift from God that saves or sanctifies us.

ACIM:
1. The heavenly state in which everything is freely given us and there are no difficulties, struggles, guilts, or burdens.
2. The salvation that we receive in the holy instant.
3. The act of God reaching down and giving us the revelation of His Presence, either a) in the form of a temporary experience of divine union, or b) in the form of the final step, in which He permanently awakens us to Heaven.

Something I've been hearing recently reminds me of the course's first definition of grace above. I heard someone say recently that he believes there has to be struggle and guilt because without the fear of God people will do the wrong thing and we need to have that guilt to keep us on the straight and narrow. I really don't agree with that, and maybe it's because I've been studying this course. I don't believe that we need external forces to keep us in check. I believe our ego believes that, and when we can stop identifying with our ego and allow Spirit to guide us, I believe we will experience the grace of God as defined here.

I don't choose my behaviors because if I don't I'll be punished. I choose my behaviors because I am made in the image and likeness of God and I see that in every human being and that calls me to act in a certain way, even though my ego wants to judge and condemn. I am eternally grateful for the awareness which has led me to this course and to the wonderful people who continue to come into my space through my work. I really do have no cause for anger or fear and that awareness is today's miracle!