Lesson 287 • October 14

 

Read on the ACIM CE App: https://acimce.app/:W-287

Lesson 287

You are my goal, my Father. Only You.

Practice Instructions

See complete instructions in separate document. A short summary:

  • Read the commentary paragraph slowly and personally.
  • Pray the prayer, perhaps several times.
  • Morning and evening: Repeat the idea and then spend time in Open Mind Meditation.
  • Hourly remembrance: Repeat the idea and then spend time in Open Mind Meditation.
  • Frequent reminders: Repeat the idea and then spend a quiet moment in meditation.
  • Response to temptation: Repeat the idea whenever upset, to restore peace.
  • Read the “What Is” section slowly and thoughtfully once during the day.

Commentary

This lesson comes from a very high place. It is something that would be spoken by a person ready to live in the real world, a prayer from the heart of Christ within me. It is the heartfelt thoughts of Christ, expressed in words; it is the mindset that I seek to listen to all the time. And so it is true of me; I can speak these words with honesty, even though I know that often I listen to the ego, which has every other goal but God.

If I feel today that I cannot say with simple honesty, “You are my goal, my Father. Only You,” then let me look with honesty, and without fear, on what other goals I still cherish. Let me ask myself, “What could be a substitute for happiness? What gift could I prefer before the peace of God?” (1:2-3). Any such other goal is obviously a foolish one. Any goal that distracts me from the peace of God is unworthy of me.

If I have another goal, if I cannot say “Only You,” then I am desiring to go someplace other than Heaven; I am looking for a substitute for happiness; I am seeking something which I think is preferable to the peace of God; I am looking to find and keep something which I think is better than my own Identity; I am choosing to live with fear rather than with love.

It really is that simple.

In the Course, Jesus assures me that it is not shameful to recognize these things about myself. Recognizing my false goals is the beginning of wisdom. All that is needful is for me to recognize what I am doing, what other goals I am choosing, and the power of those things will simply fall away. Pretending to love only God while secretly holding on to other goals is a sure guarantee of failure and unhappiness. Honest recognition of those other goals, and of my responsibility in choosing them, is the sure way of release.