Welcome to Active Meditation.
A Course in Miracles,
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 God's 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,
God's and the ego's 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.
God's is the only plan that is certain in its outcome.
God's 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 God's plan,
Which cannot fail.
Begin the two longer practice periods for today by thinking about today's idea.
Only God's plan for salvation will work.
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,
The ego's part.
It is inherent in the first.
And in the first,
God's plan is your full release.
From all your own insane attempts and mad proposals to free yourself.
They have led you to depression and anger,
But God's plan will succeed.
It will lead to release and joy.
Remembering this,
Let's devote the remainder of the extended practice periods to asking God to reveal the plan to us.
Ask God very specifically,
What would you have me do?
Where would you have me go?
What would you have me say?
And to whom?
Give God full charge of the rest of the practice period.
And let God tell you what needs to be done by you in the plan for your salvation.
Let's practice.
Spend a few moments thinking about today's idea.
Only God's plan for salvation will work.
Now,
Ask God these questions and then wait for an answer.
First question,
What would you have me do?
Now inquire,
Where would you have me go?
And finally,
What would you have me say?
And to whom?
God will answer in proportion to your willingness to hear God's voice.
Refuse not to hear.
What would you have me do?
Where would you have me go?
What would you have me say?
And to whom?
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.
Let's practice again.
Think about the notion that only God's plan for salvation will work.
Now,
Ask God,
What would you have me do?
Where would you have me go?
What would you have me say?
What would you have me say?
And to whom?
In the shorter practice periods,
Tell yourself often that God's plan for salvation and only God's will work.
Be alert to all temptation to hold grievances today and to respond to them with this form of today's idea.
Holding grievances is the opposite of God's plan for salvation,
And only God's plan will work.
Now,
Give God full charge of the rest of the practice period and let God tell you what needs to be done by you and the plan for your salvation.
Now,
Let God tell you what needs to be done by you and the plan for your salvation.
Try to remember today's idea some six or seven times an hour.
There could be no better way to spend a half a minute or less than to remember the source of your salvation and to see it where it is.
Only God's plan for salvation will work.
What would you have me do?
Where would you have me go?
What would you have me say?
And to whom?
Holding grievances is the opposite of God's plan for salvation,
And only God's plan will work.
Nothing real can be threatened.
Nothing unreal exists.
Herein lies the peace of God.
