LESSON 71
Only God's plan for salvation will work.
You may not realize that the ego has set up a plan for salvation in opposition to God's. It is this plan in which you believe. Since it is the opposite of God's, you also believe that to accept God's plan in place of the ego's is to be damned. This sounds preposterous, of course. Yet after we have considered just what the ego's plan is, perhaps you will realize that, however preposterous it may be, you do believe in it.
The ego's plan for salvation centers around holding grievances. It maintains that, if someone else spoke or acted differently, if some external circumstance or event were changed, you would be saved. Thus, the source of salvation is constantly perceived as outside yourself. Each grievance you hold is a declaration, and an assertion in which you believe, that says, "If this were different, I would be saved." The change of mind necessary for salvation is thus demanded of everyone and everything except yourself.
The role assigned to your own mind in this plan, then, is simply to determine what, other than itself, must change if you are to be saved. According to this insane plan, any perceived source of salvation is acceptable provided that it will not work. This ensures that the fruitless search will continue, for the illusion persists that, although this hope has always failed, there is still grounds for hope in other places and in other things. Another person will yet serve better; another situation will yet offer success.
Such is the ego's plan for your salvation. Surely you can see how it is in strict accord with the ego's basic doctrine, "Seek but do not find." For what could more surely guarantee that you will not find salvation than to channelize all your efforts in searching for it where it is not?
God's plan for salvation works simply because, by following His direction, you seek for salvation where it is. But if you are to succeed, as God promises you will, you must be willing to seek there only. Otherwise, your purpose is divided and you will attempt to follow two plans for salvation that are diametrically opposed in all ways. The result can only bring confusion, misery and a deep sense of failure and despair.
How can you escape all this? Very simply. The idea for today is the answer. Only God's plan for salvation will work. There can be no real conflict about this, because there is no possible alternative to God's plan that will save you. His is the only plan that is certain in its outcome. His is the only plan that must succeed.
Let us practice recognizing this certainty today. And let us rejoice that there is an answer to what seems to be a conflict with no resolution possible. All things are possible to God. Salvation must be yours because of His plan, which cannot fail.
Begin the two longer practice periods for today by thinking about today's idea, and realizing that it contains two parts, each making equal contribution to the whole. God's plan for your salvation will work, and other plans will not. Do not allow yourself to become depressed or angry at the second part; it is inherent in the first. And in the first is your full release from all your own insane attempts and mad proposals to free yourself. They have led to depression and anger; but God's plan will succeed. 6 It will lead to release and joy.
Remembering this, let us devote the remainder of the extended practice periods to asking God to reveal His plan to us. Ask Him very specifically:
What would You have me do?
Where would You have me go?
What would You have me say, and to whom?
Give Him full charge of the rest of the practice period, and let Him tell you what needs to be done by you in His plan for your salvation. He will answer in proportion to your willingness to hear His Voice. Refuse not to hear. The very fact that you are doing the exercises proves that you have some willingness to listen. This is enough to establish your claim to God's answer.
In the shorter practice periods, tell yourself often that God's plan for salvation, and only His, will work. Be alert to all temptation to hold grievances today, and respond to them with this form of today's idea:
Holding grievances is the opposite of God's plan for salvation. And only His plan will work.
Try to remember today's idea some six or seven times an hour. There could be no better way to spend a half minute or less than to remember the Source of your salvation, and to see It where It is.
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Lesson 71
“Only God’s plan for salvation will work.”
As I accept that only God’s plan for salvation will work, I experience great relief. It means that I can let go of all my planning, conniving, manipulating and efforting in trying to make the circumstance in which I feel safe and happy. What helps me accept God’s plan is to remember that His Will for me is perfect happiness. Not temporary, not partial, but perfect, whole, complete, eternal happiness.
The ego world is the result of believing that it is possible to have something better than perfect happiness. Put that way it seems absurd, but in rejecting God’s total Love, given equally to all, this is exactly what the ego thought system represents -- I want to do it my way. Sooner or later we will all reach the point where we recognize “doing it my way” has not brought the happiness we want. This also helps bring about the relinquishment of our plan so that we come with an open mind to receive God’s plan. Today I am willing to take another step in letting go of my plans and receiving the perfect happiness offered by God’s plan for salvation.
When I ask for God’s plan for salvation, I hear: “The sight of Christ is all there is to see. The hand of Christ is all there is to hold. There is no journey but to walk with Him.” As I see past bodies to the Christ, I am doing my part in the salvation of the world. As I hold the hand of Christ, I am led Home and I see that all my brothers come with me. I do not go Home alone. I let my mind be retrained from focusing on bodies to seeing the Christ. Christ is all there is to see. That is God’s plan for salvation. The ego’s plan is to make the clouds, time and space, real so that I will not see the Light that is beyond the clouds.
As I practice daily letting go of the ego’s plan for salvation, I am quietly led to see the Christ where once I saw a body. This brings me eternal joy. This brings me eternal happiness. There really is no journey but to walk with Christ.
God’s plan helps me move past the clouds to the truth. Nothing has changed from God’s creation. No world of separation could ever have happened. Letting go of these false ideas brings me to the truth, brings me deep peace, brings me happiness that will never end. Only God’s plan for salvation will work.
As I meditate today on accepting only God’s plan for salvation, I see more clearly the absurdity of the ego thought system of separation. The ego would say, change anything and everything in the outer picture. Outer change does not work. Changing an outer picture while I still hold a thought of separation cannot work. There is no separation. Therefore, cause and effect are one. This is why change cannot work in the outer picture or in the ego thought system of separation.
By accepting God’s plan for salvation, I am accepting the inherent nature of my Being. In this state I am Love, I am Peace, I am Joy. Because cause and effect are one, the outer picture of the illusion will reflect this state of my true Beingness as I continue to allow greater and greater acceptance of my True Self. Because of the power of my mind endowed me by my Creator, this is the only way it works. Therefore only God’s plan for my salvation works. And so it is.
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