Which Comes First?

A Course in Miracles teaches you that to learn that you have God’s Love within you, you must extend it in your awareness. It also points out that you accept God’s Love through your willingness to extend It. But elsewhere it says that you are the center out from which God’s Love extends in your awareness. You must touch God’s Love within you to be able to extend It. So this question arises from students of the Course: “Which comes first – knowing God’s Love is within you and extending It or extending God’s Love to become aware of God’s Love within you?”

Actually, it works both ways. Love extends naturally from you when you tap into It, no matter how slightly. It overflows from the center of your Being to color your perception without you even trying. From a small awareness of God’s Love comes your full awareness of God’s Love. And when you are not feeling God’s Love (peace, happiness) within you, you can do it quickly by making the choice to extend God’s Love. In place of the awareness that God’s Love is within you this latter choice only requires that you be willing to experience God’s Love. Your willingness invites Love into your awareness and you become aware that Love is within you.

When you are coming from Love everything is lovely. – Gary Ledson, 2008

Simply make the choice to see God’s Love here despite what is appearing to the body’s eyes and you will find yourself flooded with Love and Peace and Joy. If you are unable to touch the Love within you and let It extend in your perception you can bring Love to your awareness by visualizing Light – or some other symbol of Love that works for you - around what the body’s eyes are seeing, no matter what it is. This is how you demonstrate your willingness to experience Love and because Love is the Truth it rises up to meet you and overflows your little willingness. The physical world will recede in value to you and the Love that you are experiencing will expand within you. You can do this any time you think that you are unhappy because of what is appearing in the world and you will teach yourself that what you experience is your own choice.

>>>>

Now available at www.acimmentor.com: The Message of A Course in Miracles: A Translation of the Text in Plain Language.

Comments

imweare said…
Thanks Liz! As I keep trying and learning, it is getting easier to understand what is being offered here. I happened on your "Four Habits for Inner Peace" just as I have been studying about my function of forgiveness in the workbook. It reminds me again that there are no coincidences, and that it is up to me how much time I take to 'sort this out'.

Thanks again! -Joey
10:56 AM
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