Grace without Cost

"His Grace the answer is to all despair, for in it lies remembrance of His Love.  His gift of Grace is more than just an answer.  It restores all memories the sleeping mind forgot; all certainty of what Love's meaning IS." - A Course in Miracles; Workbook Lesson 168, 2:3, 3:5-6

I have seemingly had little work and few new clients for nearly 6 months now. Work is a topic I have been praying about regularly... not just to have it (and I've applied for countless 'jobs'), but to see what errors in my own mind and heart I am seeing reflected in the world.  I pray to understand and forgive and heal this seeming lack for all of us, since I know we are One Mind and One Heart.  And I know from my direct experience of God that this is not being done TO me (or anyone else).  God has given us everything... but I can only receive what I accept.  What do I accept as true about work?  What do I accept as true about myself?  What do I accept as true about God?  Do I think these are different subjects, unrelated?  Since God is All, they must be One.

In listening to my own thoughts and words on this topic, I realize that even when I talk about changing my perceptions, I say, "I'm working on... (fill in the blank)."  Hmmm...  Why is it that we associate the word 'work' with words like 'hard' or 'effort' or 'struggle' or 'a work in progress?'  Where has all this efforting gotten us?  What about the word Grace?  What about the Joy of living and moving and having our being in God?  What about Grace without cost?

We are created in the image of God.  In God we live and move and have our being.  This is beyond question, since it is a direct experience NOW.  If it's not your direct experience, I urge you to spend time in silence and allow yourself to remember Who You Are, as a reflection of God, as a transparency for God.  Never take anyone else's word for this.  That's like reading the menu but never actually eating the feast.  And Grace, the expression of remembering Who We Are, is the effortless flow of Awareness that pours from this fountain of Joy at the core of our Being.  As the quote above reminds us, it's the catalyst for remembering the Love that We Are.  Grace has no price and no cost.  It's always pouring from within our Being, and requires no effort, no 'work' on ourselves.  It is the effortless remembrance of what has always been.  We have only to accept it.

As I remember minute-by-minute and day-by-day that Grace has no cost, I soften and open and allow Love to move in my life.  I continue to receive unexpected donations for the Sanctuary and for my Spiritual Direction and ACIM Classes.  New clients call out of the blue.  My books sell more copies and my CD project takes wing as more and more people pre-order.  I am loved and nurtured and supported in my work, without efforting.  Grace has no cost... we don't have to earn it or be good enough or do it right.  We just have to return to our right Mind. 

However and wherever we find ourselves, we are in the midst of God.  Right where we are is holy ground.  That's Grace for you.  Grace without cost.