Understanding Forgiveness

"Love must give, and what is given in His Name takes on the form most useful in a world of form. These are the forms which never can deceive, because they come from Formlessness ItSelf. Forgiveness is an earthly form of love, which as it is in Heaven has no form. Yet what is needed here is given as it is needed. In this form you can fulfill your function even here, although what love will mean to you when formlessness has been restored to you is greater still. Salvation of the world depends on you who can forgive. Such is your function here." -- A Course in Miracles; Workbook 186, 13:5, & 14: 1-6

"Do as God's Voice directs. And if It asks a thing of you which seems impossible, remember Who It Is that asks, and who would make denial. Then consider this; which is more likely to be right?" -- A Course in Miracles; Workbook 186, 12:1-3

Forgiveness is primary to being able to hear the Voice for God, a.k.a. the Holy Spirit, the part of our Mind that remains Awake and Aware of the Allness of God and our Oneness with God. Whatever images and stories are claiming time and attention have to be forgiven and released, to leave the mind clear and open to remembering. Understanding the importance of forgiveness is the biggest challenge, since our human self is always all about 'me'. Forgiveness cleans the slate, and returns the mind to natural, organic Self, which is formless and all-inclusive. From this unconditioned Awareness, we are able to hear the Voice. Why is this important? Because the Holy Spirit is our Translator and Guide through the maze of the dream we call life. The Voice of the Holy Spirit will encourage and inspire and guide us to forgive every aspect of the world. We have to be willing to forgive, and turn to the Holy Spirit for help. But it is the Holy Spirit who translates and removes the hurtful perceptions that have blocked our Awareness of God.

Removing all the obstacles to Awareness (true forgiveness) is our only function within the dream. We have to let go of all the thousands of ideas and stories that populate our separated minds, and return our minds to Oneness. These illusory ideas, with no more substance than a mist that blurs our vision, still give rise to the experience of illusion and to all the illusory world of separate bodies with separate interests.

Understanding forgiveness isn't about an academic or intellectual understanding. We're talking a qualitative shift here, not a quantitative one. We begin to truly understand as we experience the quality of release that true forgiveness brings. We are always letting go of limits, which are all illusions. God is our Life without limits. God is our Reality, and the Ground of Being.

True forgiveness is the purest form of Love that this world offers. It gives away all the obstacles to remembering Who We Are, all the illusions of separateness, and returns us whole-heartedly to innocence and peace. Understanding forgiveness is an experience, and it comes as we practice it, day in and day out releasing all that is not true... and revealing the Love at the heart of All.

"If God's Will for you is complete peace and joy, unless you experience only this you must be refusing to acknowledge His Will. His Will does not vacillate, being changeless forever. When you are not at peace it can only be because you do not believe you are in Him. Yet He is All in All. His peace is complete, and you must be included in it. His laws govern you because they govern everything." -- A Course in Miracles; Chapter 8, Section IV, 1:1-6