“For never will another road be made except the way to Heaven. You but choose whether to go toward Heaven or away to nowhere. There is nothing else to choose” …A Course In Miracles
We believe we’re living in a world of choices, and every one we make has consequences. There’s no denying the fact that everything in this world is based on choice. If you’re of working age and have a job you have to make the choice if you’re going to work or not. You may think you don’t have a choice in this, but you do. Our society has progressed to the point where you could decide not to go, but as mentioned above, every choice has consequences.
The point is, everything we do, say or think is a choice. Yes everything we think is a choice, and this area is the most important one of all. For without thinking first none of the others could be made. Oh I understand that we’re so used to doing things like going to work for example, that it seems as if we don’t need to think about it. But that’s because we’ve made up our minds in advance to do it, and therefore, it has become sort of automatic, like being on autopilot. Even so, the first time you did it it probably required a huge amount of thinking and a lot of planning.
“There are but two directions you can take while time remains and choice is meaningful” …ACIM
Every choice we make, no matter what it is, nor how important or petty it may seem, is based in either Love or fear. They’re the only two emotions there are regardless of how many there seems to be.
When we make a choice about anything based on genuinely loving and caring thoughts we’re deciding with God. For God is Love, and therefore all loving and caring thoughts originate with Him.
By deciding with God we’re allowing ourselves to be what He created us to be, co-creators with Him. Once we learn to do this we’re headed toward Heaven. Then, as the Course points out, all decisions become as easy and as right as breathing.
On the other hand, however, when we make choices based on revenge, anger, jealousy, resentment or other fearful and unkind thoughts we’re deciding against God and for the ego. We’re then headed, as my opening quote says, away from Heaven to nowhere.
“It is hard indeed to wander off, alone and miserable, down a road which leads to nothing and which has no purpose” …ACIM
Until we choose to recognize the Spirit, that’s exactly what this physical experience is. Wandering alone and miserable, down a road which leads to nothing and which has no purpose. As we wander along in this journey we so fondly refer to as life, deep within our minds we know it has no purpose as we perceive it.
It’s a journey we ourselves have designed within the belief that we are separated from God and the universe. And a journey designed from this perception has absolutely no purpose. We’re headed down a road which leads to nothing, except the grave, and I’m certain most will agree there’s not much purpose in that ending.
But once we begin to look beyond the flesh, then the journey begins to take on purpose, and a mighty purpose it is indeed. It’s purpose reveals itself as soon as we decide we genuinely want to know what it is.
“Listen to the story of the prodigal son, and learn what God’s treasure is and yours” …ACIM
As you probably already know, the story of the prodigal son is a story about the son of a rich man. There was a certain rich man who had two sons, one of which decided he would separate from his father and go out into the world and live his life as it pleased him. So he asked for his inheritance while his father stilled lived. The rich man complied with his request and handed him his full inheritance.
The son took his inheritance, left the security and comfort of his father’s home, and set off on his own to live as he saw fit. It seems he got caught up in the vices of the world and soon learned his riches weren’t finite. He not only separated from his father, but it didn’t take long and he was separated from his inheritance also.
Because he believed he had hurt his father he was filled with shame, remorse and guilt, and therefore, afraid to return home. He became so desperate that he begged a farmer to let him feed the pigs for a share of their food. He found himself eating food prepared for pigs in order to keep from starving – a far cry from the riches and security of his father’s home.
Eventually he decided that no matter what punishment his father would mete out to him it couldn’t be worse that his present lot. So he made the decision to return to the home he had left even though he expected severe retribution to ensue.
But instead of meting out vengeance his father was filled with joy because of his return. He ran to meet him and kissed and hugged him. He ordered the servants to clothe him in kingly clothes and put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. He ordered a feast be given in honour of his son’s return. The son learned that he himself was his father’s treasure, and his father was his treasure.
“God wants only His Son because His Son is His only treasure” …ACIM
The story of the prodigal son is a parable found in the fifteenth chapter of the Biblical book of Luke. Jesus referenced it in Chapter eight of the Course. The two accounts are worded differently, but both mean the same thing. I haven’t quoted either one, but paraphrased it as best I could.
Nearly every human on this Earth can be characterized as the prodigal son. For we have all left the abundance, joy, peace, harmony, and glory of our real home and squandered our inheritance on an experience that has no value or meaning. And now, like the prodigal son, we believe we have sinned against our Father. Therefore, most of us spend our physical experiences in fear of the ending and God’s retributive punishment.
It is not so! We have not sinned against our Father, and He is not going to punish us. To punish us would be to punish Himself; is that even reasonable? As the parable of the prodigal son teaches, we are His only Treasure, and He is ours. He will welcome us Home with open arms and Love so Perfect that we cannot even comprehend it while we see ourselves in this world.
“What seems to be the fear of God is really only the fear of your own reality” …ACIM
How silly can it be to be afraid of your own reality? We’re afraid of our own reality because we don’t know what it is. The Course tells us: “If you knew Who walks beside you on this way which you have chosen, fear would be impossible. You do not know because the journey into darkness has been long and cruel, and you have gone deep into it.”
There’s just one thing in all the universe that can do away with fear, and that is Perfect Love. Nothing else will ever walk beside you except Perfect Love. God is Love and Love is God, and He is Perfect and you are part of Him. Therefore Perfect Love is your reality, and your reality is Perfect Love. That is what you are and what you are has to be where you are, for you cannot be apart from your own reality.
There is no such thing as Perfect Love in this physical world, for this is an illusionary world built on fear. Therefore you, who are Perfect Love, are not in this world even though it seems as if your are. But isn’t that the purpose of illusions, to cause the unreal to seem real? Your own reality of Perfect Love walks beside you in a different dimension simply waiting to be recognized.
I’m going to close this post with a quote from the Course: “If perfect love casts out fear. A
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I truly appreciate you visiting this blog. Thank you.
Keep your thoughts positive. You’ll find that life is better that way.
2018 Walter Theriault. All rights reserved
LOVE IS THE ONLY HEALER 