Accepting What Happens

            What is unfolding in time and consciousness depicts the moment the idea of not-God arose and was simultaneously undone by God’s All-encompassing nature. It depicts, over time, the Atonement, or the correction of the idea that God can have an opposite. In time, there can appear to be a gap between the idea of not-God arising and its being undone. So, at any given moment, you might not be able to see the Atonement. But you would if you could see the whole story.

 

 “It is necessary for the teacher of God to realize, not that he should not judge, but that he cannot…In order to judge anything rightly, one would have to be fully aware of an inconceivably wide range of things; past, present and to come. One would have to recognize in advance all the effects of his judgments on everyone and everything involved in them in any way. And one would have to be certain there is no distortion in his perception, so that his judgment would be wholly fair to everyone on whom it rests now and in the future...” (M-10.2-3)

 

Think about something in your life that you feel went wrong. In fact, it was to happen, and it is ego that says, “This was not supposed to happen.” This is a fine example of how ego makes a reality that not only opposes Reality but even what is to unfold in consciousness. It is twice removed from Reality when it does not accept what is unfolding in consciousness.

How would it be different for you if in a situation where you had to make a choice or decision instead of asking “What do I want?” you asked “What is to happen?” to find the flow of the unfolding? This requires quite a change of mind. It means putting aside ego’s aspirational approach to life and any sense of self-guided direction in the understanding that what is unfolding for your person is part of a larger, predetermined unfolding.

The Course suggests that if you have something in your life that disturbs you, that you ask for another way to look at it. What if something that you feel is off or wrong is supposed to be? Could that be the different way of looking at it? And if you try to apply this approach and still cannot accept it, what if you accepted that is supposed to be, too? What if you simply accepted all appearances, experiences, thoughts and feelings passing through you? Acceptance does not mean that you like what is occurring, only that you are not going to resist it.

Nothing practically changes when you can see that everything is predetermined. You feel moved to act or not, just as you did before, only you understand the motivation or lack of motivation is part of something larger unfolding through you. Accepting what is to happen is not about actions but about the approach of your mind to what is occurring. What is going to occur is going to occur whether you want it or accept it or not. Would you be more comfortable resisting or accepting? In any case, whatever your response, that is what is supposed to happen.

 

>>>> 

If you have a question the answer to which you feel may be helpful to others, send it to Liz@acimmentor.com and indicate that you want it answered in this newsletter/blog.

Comments

Anonymous said…
What about if it’s ruining your health?
8:07 PM
ACIM Mentor said…
Acceptance will not ruin your health. But there may be something that is ruining your health and if you do not feel moved to change it, then you can make the choice to accept it as resistance only makes you feel worse.
2:40 PM
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