Susan Dugan and Bruce Rawles read and share thoughts about ACIM‘s Workbook Lesson 47: “God is the strength in which I trust.” (ACIM, W-47) in this YouTube video.
This lesson reminds us that on our own – left to our own devices – our peace is ever elusive, yet by trusting the consistent encouraging and ever-supportive counsel of Holy Spirit (a.k.a. the Jesus of the Course) we have an unchanging, sure, and reliable foundation in our mind for true safety, security and unshakeable peace. In order to metaphorically take the hand of this wise, steadfast, and infinitely kind counsel, we must drop the hand of our traitorous ego whose judgment is always flawed – at best! – and inevitably sabotages our peace because its imagined existence is based on imagined (but unquestioned) guilt. This means we must relinquish making judgments in isolation; we must see for ourselves that our own limited perspective is hopeless and not worth anything. This is emphasized in an oft-quoted paragraph from “How Is Judgment Relinquished?” (ACIM, M-10):
“The aim of our curriculum, unlike the goal of the world’s learning, is the recognition that judgment in the usual sense is impossible. ²This is not an opinion but a fact. ³In order to judge anything rightly, one would have to be fully aware of an inconceivably wide range of things; past, present and to come. ⁴One would have to recognize in advance all the effects of his judgments on everyone and everything involved in them in any way. ⁵And 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. ⁶Who is in a position to do this? ⁷Who except in grandiose fantasies would claim this for himself?” (ACIM, M-10.3:1-7)
Fortunately, the real alternative to ego’s condemning judgment of everyone – that we are all the “home of evil, darkness and sin” (ACIM, W-93.1:1) is also available in our mind 24/7/365:
Here are the first three paragraphs from Lessons 47 in ACIM’s Workbook:
“If you are trusting in your own strength, you have every reason to be apprehensive, anxious and fearful. ²What can you predict or control? ³What is there in you that can be counted on? ⁴What would give you the ability to be aware of all the facets of any problem, and to resolve them in such a way that only good can come of it? ⁵What is there in you that gives you the recognition of the right solution, and the guarantee that it will be accomplished?
Of yourself you can do none of these things. ²To believe that you can is to put your trust where trust is unwarranted, and to justify fear, anxiety, depression, anger and sorrow. ³Who can put his faith in weakness and feel safe? ⁴Yet who can put his faith in strength and feel weak?
God is your safety in every circumstance. ²His Voice speaks for Him in all situations and in every aspect of all situations, telling you exactly what to do to call upon His strength and His protection. ³There are no exceptions because God has no exceptions. ⁴And the Voice which speaks for Him thinks as He does.” (ACIM, W-47.1:1–3:4)
(This video was recorded on February 24, 2022.)
If you have questions or comments about this video, prior videos in this ACIM-related video series, or other Course-related topics, please email them via the ACIMblog.com contact form. Susan and Bruce will review and try to respond to questions and suggestions for future conversations. We look forward to extending the conversation with you!
Here are some prior ACIM-related conversations with Susan Dugan and Bruce Rawles.