“Forgiveness is the only thing that stands for truth in the illusions of the world.”   …ACIM

The title of this post seems like another one of those redundant questions. For, it seems, everyone knows the answer, everyone knows what forgiveness is. But the Course talks about a different kind of forgiveness, one this world knows nothing about.

One of the definitions of “forgive” in the dictionary is: “Stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake.” This is the version of forgiveness the world uses. One of the flaws it contains is, it remains at the discretion of the offended as to whether it should be offered, or not. Some are quick to offer it, others reluctantly offer it after an apology, and many cannot, or will not, offer it at all.

Even for those who do offer it, the offense remains intact. The forgiver may do his best to overlook it, but it’s hardly ever forgotten. It’s not easy to wipe an offense, especially one that hurts deeply, from memory. In fact, it’s nearly impossible.

“What is forgiveness but a willingness that truth be true?”   …ACIM

Truth is true whether we are willing to let it be so, or not.  It matters not what we believe, or what we perceive, the truth is still true, and what is false is still false. The truth, regardless of what we think, is that true forgiveness as the Course teaches it will overcome every problem that we can imagine with our delusional minds.

But that being said, we must understand that true forgiveness doesn’t consist of overlooking some insult or degrading action we imagine has already been committed. True forgiveness has no meaning as long as we focus on this physical environment, for its beginning consists of looking beyond the body.

As the above quote says, we must be willing to let truth be true. And the truth is, you are either a Spiritual Being or you are a physical being. You have no choice in this, for what you are has already been decided. You were either created by a loving Creator or you are a product of some sort of chemical reaction. That’s it – there’s no other choice.

“You see the flesh or recognize the Spirit.”   …ACIM

The only choice open to you is your belief about it. You have a choice in accepting which one you believe you are. If you believe you are no more than that which stares back at you from the mirror, then you have made the choice to see the flesh. 

On the other hand, if you can accept that you may be more than a mirror can show you, then you’re beginning to recognize the Spirit. And right here is where true forgiveness begins to make its presence known. For it’s in the recognition of the Spirit that true forgiveness is born. You begin by forgiving yourself of the silly belief that you are a physical entity living in a body of flesh, which has no other destiny than to decay and return to dust.

“Forgiveness recognizes what you thought your brother did to you has not occurred.”   …ACIM

True forgiveness takes some recognizing. First of all, we recognize the Spirit. And then we recognize the fact that a Spiritual Being could not be contained in a physical body in a physical world. Which means you are not in this world, as the Course says: “Salvation is no more than a reminder this world is not your home; its laws are not imposed on you; its values are not yours.”

This world is not your home because it does not exist. Oh I know that’s a difficult concept to grasp, but nevertheless it’s true or the Course is false. For in Lesson 132, and other places, it points out: Healing is the gift of those who are prepared to learn there is no world. In chapter 22 it says: This course will be believed entirely or not at all. For it is wholly true or wholly false and cannot be but partially believed.

I have accepted the Course as the ultimate in truth. And therefore, even though I too sometimes find it difficult to accept the premise that there is no world, I am learning more and more just how true it is.

For this world as we perceive it makes no sense whatsoever. The only thing that makes sense about it is to understand it’s a dream filled with illusions. And as we all know, neither dreams nor illusions are real. Therefore, if it’s a dream filled with illusions then it’s not real, hence there is no world.

“Within this kingdom the ego rules, and cruelly. And to defend this little speck of dust, it bids you fight against the universe.”   …ACIM

The world as we perceive it is a product of our egos and therefore, it’s foundation is set in fear. Your ego and my ego believe they live in separate flesh bodies. And it’s the body each ego sets up as its own little kingdom in the world. It will do whatever it’s capable of doing, as the above quote reminds us, to defend this little speck of dust. It will go so far as to encourage us to fight against the universe.

But even the ego, which knows nothing about God and eternity,  is aware that its kingdom is temporary. Therefore it rules this little kingdom cruelly, because it rules from a position of fear. It bids us fight against the universe to defend an illusion, which is  undefendable.

“To recognize means to ‘know again,’ implying that  you knew before.”   …ACIM

Your reality is such that there’s not one thing in the universe you don’t already know. But as the Course tells us we have put ourselves to sleep and dreamed a dream. And being asleep we don’t know that we know. And that’s what true forgiveness is, it’s to recognize that which we already know.

You already know you’re a Spiritual Being created by Love, from Love, as Love. You just need to recognize it. Once you recognize this truth you’ll understand that to fight against the universe is to fight against Love – to fight against your Self.

I’m going to end this post with a quote from the Course: “All your difficulties ultimately stem from the fact that you do not recognize or know yourselves, each other, or God.”

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LOVE IS ALL THERE IS – ALL THERE EVER WAS – AND ALL THERE EVER WILL BE

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