Changing My Purpose
Forgiving and Awakening
Posted by aplecompte on July 18th, 2009
I was just reading Chapter 29 of the Course and it helped me see that I must indeed have set the purpose of separation and made secret vows with my brother. Only my setting of that overall purpose and making separation vows (and then "forgetting" that I had done so) would explain why I consistently misperceive my brother:
"When you are angry, is it not because someone has failed to fill the function you allotted him? And does not this become the "reason" your attack is justified?… No one can fail but your idea of him… Perceptions are determined by their purpose, in that they seem to be what they are for."
I see that my purpose has been the ego's purpose, to prove that the separation is real. So I decide to change my purpose to that of the Holy Spirit. ("Unless the Holy Spirit gives the dream its purpose, it was made for hate." T-29.V.7) When my purpose changes to forgiveness, my perception changes:
"A shadow figure who attacks becomes a brother giving you a chance to help, if this becomes the function of the dream. And dreams of sadness thus are turned to joy. What is your brother for? Do not ascribe a role to him that you imagine would bring happiness to you. And do not try to hurt him when he fails to take the part that you assigned to him, in what you dream your life was meant to be. He asks for help in every dream he has, and you have help to give him if you see the function of the dream as He [Holy Spirit] perceives its function, Who can utilize all dreams as means to serve the function given Him. Because He loves the dreamer, not the dream, each dream becomes an offering of love. For at its center is His Love for you, which lights whatever form it takes with love." T-29.IV p613
And in hearing and responding to my brothers call for help, I let myself be wakened:
"You cannot wake yourself. Yet you can let yourself be wakened. You can overlook your brother's dreams. So perfectly can you forgive him his illusions he becomes your savior from your dreams. And as you see him shining in the space of light where God abides within the darkness, you will see that God Himself is where his body is." T-29.III.3
By keeping this in mind I can do God's plan for salvation.
Tags: Awakening, Forgiveness, Relationships
