Lesson of the Day 71 - Only God’s Plan For Salvation Will Work with Elbert

a direct what do you call that? It's directly in line with a lessoned from yesterday where we were looking at my salvation comes from me, and the idea of my salvation comes from me? Might be uh, one of those ideas that you immediately pet yourself on the back, gives give the ego that what we call I all the credits for uh, whatever is happening. But what it basically does, and we were looked at that yesterday too,

is isolation comes from me. Is a direct acknowledgment that I have to make a choice and that choice is solely in my hands and that I will always in every situation receive what I have given the situation. And yesterday we had a quick look at the idea of

fear and how to undo fear. And what became painfully clear was that it is up to me what I associate with and what I think that I'm part of, and that uh we were we were just quickly looking at an idea of ingesting or like taking to me the idea of pain and suffering a through the things that I was watching, the movies, I was watching the idea of the people I was associating with, the the pain and suffering that I would dwell in the moment

I was holding on to grievances. And this is not really a course in uh how to actually uh uh treat your life or how to I should say that differently, how to fill in your life by dos and don'ts, Because what is very clear in the beginning of the course is that the the reason why we do a course in miracles, uh is the motivation for it lies in the experience of peace, and there is no other motivation.

And what I find one of the things that we really have to be careful with is to regard one thing as completely justified based on a reasoning that by the way I made up, and something else is regarded as completely unreasonable. And undesirable, but also based on my own justifications for it. Because whatever we see here in this world we either agree or disagree with based on our own past memories and future wants, the things the outcomes that we want in the future that we think

are appropriate. But today we're gonna look at God's plan for salvation, and in that plan of salvation it's got, it will become very clear that it is not really up to me, but it is up to God if I let him, and that there is only one thing required of me, and it is to come with holy empty hands and be open for the help to come to me in whatever form, without judging if that form is appropriate or not. And I really wanna associate with love.

I want I as Jesus says it in the Court Miracles, you think what you are by the things that you that you surround yourself with. And because I know that pain and fear do not really help me think positively or feel happy or joyful or even peaceful, those are the things I don't surround myself with anymore. Does that mean you have to change your diet? I have no idea,

don't ask me. I just know for myself that pain and suffering are in direct opposite to the love and the peace of God, and that is what I want to associate with. So coming back to the decision of yesterday, that my salvation comes from me. In other words, the answer to every single problem that I perceive is always coming from within, not made by my own by my own ideas. But listen, but the willingness to listen within me to the answer. So only God's plan for salvation

will work. You may not realize that the ego has set up a plan for salvation in opposition to God's. So again, you might not realize that that little voice within you that we call I, that we call ego, that we that we almost want to call something that we cannot do anything about. I am I right. I have to live, right, I have to survive here. I need to go to my job in order to make money, in order to pay my bills and to feed my children.

I don't know. I don't know. What I do know is that I don't want to make any decisions as yet. Let me see what God wants from me. Let me see what his plan is. Instead of the plan of knowing the right people having a bank accounts that you can impress your friends with. But it goes on. It says, it is this plan in which you believe, I'm sustained by the world and I'm sustained by the idea that

the ego is telling me. And we're gonna read I hope in a minute, a little bit out of chapter fifteen, where where it has become clear that the ego is using time to prove destruction and with that telling me that I am also bound by destruction. So that's the plan that the ego is offering destruction and search. We're gonna read that in the second search, but do not find. If you would find it, that would mean the end of the ego, and that that would mean like self destructive,

and that's of course not possible. The ego, the eye always wants to be important, and how can it be important if it's no longer needed. And that's something that we really have to look at. That's why the poll is so strong for change, the pool, to not the pool, to not choose for change, to keep everything the same and keep the search going. Try to find love outside of me, Try to find love in another partner, Try

to find love in another form. It is the plan in which you believe, since it is the opposite of gods of God God, you also believe that to accept God's plan in place of the ego, it's to be damned. It's one thirty eighth, sir. I think so. Yes, he got a little interrupted by someone that was walking in, not knowing for what reason, but thinking that he was looking for something and he did. Okay, since it is the opposite of God's since the Egos plan, it is

the opposite of God's plan. You also believe that to accept God's plan in place of the ego, in place of the Egos plan is to be damned, because that what you associate with you will cherish and you will justify any type of form of ridiculous reasoning to hold on to that plan until and that's when the motivation really comes in, until you start to see that that plan is designed to never reach the truth and to never reach love, forgiveness, peace oneness. It is set up

to fail. This sounds purpor perposterous, of course, Yet after we have con shouldn't just what the egos plan is, perhaps you will realize that, however preposterous it may be, you do believe in it, and that's where the real honesty, of course, every single day comes in. And the great thing is is that it is, thank God, only in

my hands. So before we have to embarrass ourselves in front of family or friends, we can just pull back, close the door, go in our closet, go in our bedroom, and at least, if anything else, at least be honest to ourselves and simply look at it. That's the same as yesterday, and we're gonna do it today again. Is

like walking through that cloud. On the outside, it looks solid and unpenetrable, but when you walk through it, you see that all your grievances and all the negativity and all the things that this life seem to hold you back simply are like a loose veil that you can just push through and walk into the light. You look up and you are blessed, but the everlasting light. The egos plan for salvation centers er around holding grievances, and

it doesn't really matter in what kind of form. It can show up as gossip, it can show up as it can show up as protective measurements to protect your view, to protect your standpoint, to protect your reasoning. But it doesn't really matter how the grievance shows up. It is merely by the fact of seeing grievances that the ego dwells in that I what I call I dwell in.

And if you look back at whatever conversation you had in the past days, weeks, months, you will see that a lot of those conversations might be completely absorbed by the idea of holding agreements. Someone tells me I cannot

do this or cannot do that. I don't like them, And that's a great thing about just going into your closet, be in your own space, in your bedroom for a second, and to just really look at what you're doing in your own mind, not so much because it is painful for someone else, but to truly look at your own ideas and see, is this really what I want? The

ego's plan for salvation centers around holding grievances. It maintains that if someone else spoke or acted differently, if some external circumstances or event were changed, you would be saved. In other words, my biggest grievance is that you walked into the room not with a smile on your face. Ys, and therefore I am unhappy if you would only smile to me, I would be happy. But of course, if you would walk in smiling, then that I would say.

If you only matched your shirt with your trousers, I don't like the color combination, and it distracts me from focusing on the lesson of today. If only you had metched that in the morning, I would be happy. And the funny thing is that we most of the time don't really think things through. We just spurt them out. I don't like this, I don't like that, And what we're basically saying is that's wrong. That's wrong. Meaning if it will be different, I would be happy. And maybe

that's helpful. Maybe you should do that. Maybe with every single thing that you're saying that it's negative, you should add if it would be different, I would be happy. Maybe that will trigger something in my mind to realize that it cannot be out there, because if that was the truth, I would be damned forever. I would always I would always have to wait for you, and if you wouldn't see me or forget me, I would be damned forever. Thus, the source of salvation is constantly perceived

as outside yourself. The source of salvation is constantly perceived as outside yourself as what we were looking at yesterday. The source of my grievances is constantly put outside of myself. Each grievance you hold is a declaration and an assertion in which you believe that says, if this were different, I would be saved. And that's the whole thing. It is an assertion, it is a declaration, It is an It is something that I make very solid in my mind,

and today only God's plan for salvation will work. WILL try to weaken that a little, to s to make that soltness perceived. That's uh what it really Isn't that? You know? We can easily walk through this cloud that might surround us for a second and it looks evy, it looks like it's everywhere, but that we can easily just walk through into the light. The change of mind necessary for salvation is thus demanded of everyone and everything

except yourself. And if you really look at any kind of struggle in your life, the biggest struggle is that I cannot change you, and I cannot live with that. I try to do everything. I try to give you advice, friendly friendly advice. I tell you how you could do it differently. I can slam my fist on the table and say you should do this, but you hardly change. So maybe, and we're only looking at the idea year there's nothing else asked of us, Maybe we should break

that in. Maybe we should pull that idea in, bring it closer to home, and realize that if we would change our minds, if I would change my mind, I might be a little bit more successful. The role assigned to your own mind in this plan. The role assigned to your own mind in this plan, then, is simply to determine what other than itself must change if you are to be saved according to this insane plan. And any perceived source of salvation is acceptable provided that it

will not work. And that's a that that might well be a tough one. That everything that we throw out there that we actually don't want to work, And that is for our love of being right, our love for holding on to her grievance, that we can chew on and tell everyone around us like how pitiful we are

and look at me being a victim here. But what we're actually asking for is someone that put an arm around us for no reason whatsoever, because basically, what you're always missing is that love, that love that I that I really that I really want, the joining that I really want, and we seek it out there while it is actually only within us that is what will really satisfy me. All the other things will come and go, to come again and to go again. But here's the thing.

This is what the ego, that's what we call the eye brings. This ensures that the fruitless search, the fruitless search, will continue, for the illusion persists that although this hope has always failed, there are still grounds for hope in other places and in other things. And thank God for those eight billion people, because I shaked with thousands of people hands and I still have billions to go, and hopefully one of them will bring me salvation. But you

see that the problem is always bigger. Then I can oversee what actually is very good reasoning to say that let's not do my plan but God's plan, because I cannot oversee it. Another person will yet serve better, another situation will yet offer success. Such is the ego's plan for salvation. Surely, surely you can see how it is strict accord with the ego's basic doctrine, seek but do not find, for what could more surely guarantee that you will not find salvation than to channelize all your efforts

in searching for it. Were not seeking a solution where it is not. But here's the other side. Only God's plan for salvation will work. God's plan for salvation works simply because by following his direction, you seek for salvation where it is. And you don't have to agree with that. Again, the only thing that we're looking at now is a little bit, tiny, tiny bit of willingness to open your

mind for a new idea. I mean, like we have constantly tried to do my plan with constantly the same results, with the consistency of pain and suffering, constantly falling out of peace. Let's see what happens. Let's look at God's plan for salvation. But if you are to succeed as God promise you, you must be willing to seek there only. If you are to succeed as God promises you, you must be willing to seek their only. Otherwise your purpose is divided, and you will attempt to follow two plans

for salvation that are diametrically opposed in all ways. And that's what we call put all your eggs in one basket. You cannot serve God and Mammon. You have to choose one or the other. But the promise from God is God says, choose for me, and everything else will be added onto it. You will not lack a single thing. And that's where a little bit of trust goes a long way. You cannot choose two things at the same time. The result can only bring confusion, misery, and a deep

sense of failure and despair. So how can we escape all this? Only God's plan for salvation will work. Very simply, the idea for today is the answer. Only God's plan for salvation will work. There can be no real conflict about this because there is no possible alternative to God's plan that will save you. And that is true because it doesn't really matter what I tried. The eternal The idea of eternal life felt always very scary. But if life is the only true thing, I have to change

my mind about it. And the only way to change my mind about it is to not try the same tricks that I did before, but to let go of all the ideas that I had and try a different plan this time. His is the only plan that is certain in its outcome. His is the only plan that must succeed. Let us practice recognizing this certainty to day, A happy outcome is certain to all things. That is the real hope. And that is also where we bring the idea from yesterday and to day back into the

present moment. Is that grievances always have to do with something that was in the past or anticipate it in the future. But what about here and now. Let's try, just for a moment to lay aside all plans and let us rejoice that there is an answer to what seems to be a conflict with no resolution possible. How can the how is it possible that the answer is in the right here and right now. I remember yesterday. I know what is going to happen tomorrow based on

my expectations. But the only thing that I can say is that have a little talk with someone that you met yesterday and ask them what they remember about yesterday. And I can guarantee you that in line in certain lines in the red line, it's probably gonna match up close to your idea of what happened yesterday. But you will also discover that this person remembers different things than you do, or at the very least have different opinions about what happened yesterday. So don't look at the past,

don't look at the future. Be in the right here, right now, for just this second, let us do this practice period, and then you're free to do whatever you want, whatever whatever brings you peace. But be a little bit willing to open this up for something completely different, because all things are possible to God, and salvation must be yours because of His plan which cannot fail. And that is a promise that does not require any time. So I'll begin the two longer practice periods today by thinking

about today's idea. Only God's plan for salvation will work, and realize that it contains two parts, each making equal contribution to the whole. God's plan for salvation will work. God's plan for your salvation will work, and other plans will not. Do not allow yourself to become depressed or angry at the second part the idea that my plan or the egos plan, or however you wanna try to claim what it is that that will not work. But I put all this effort in my plan, and now

that was all in vain, Well, who cares? It's all in the past, And I was just sole in my opinion about things that would work or wouldn't work, And the least helpful thing is having an opinion about the past. God's plan for salvation will work and other plans will not. Do not allow yourself to become depressed or angry at the second part. It is inherent in the first my plan will not work. God's plan will. And in the

first only God's plan for salvation will work. Is your full release from all your own insane attempts and mad proposals to free yourself. I don't have to come up with the solution myself anymore. They have led to depression and anger. But God's plan will succeed. It will lead to release enjoy. Remembering this, let us devote the reminder of the extended practice period to asking God to rer

reveal his plan to us. So I'm gonna I'm gonna play a little song, and in the first part of our exercise we really gonna look at only God's plan for salvation will work and the release and enjoy and burden on my shoulder that is lifted up. We gonna be in that experience. And then we were gonna ask some questions. But first let's take a few seconds to think about God's plan for salvation.

In my I literally I'm literally gonna give up in my Savior, my own ideas you have and let me lead by the voice within which let me be guided by the Holy Spirit. Can I stretch my hand out? And because the thought is helpful in nice, I think of Jesus grabbing my hand and leading me. Say, Father, what would you have me do? Where would you have me go? What would you have me say into whom? And don't be afraid that you cannot hear the answer.

I will guarantee you that the answer is filling your heart with joy, will fill your heart with the spirit. God's plan for salvation will work nice. But let him answer these questions, and then now give him full charge of the rest of the practice period, and let him tell you what needs to be done by you in his plan for your salvation. And we're coming back to motivation and willingness. He will answer in proportion to your

willingness to hear his voice. I am motivated. I'll let all my own plans go, and I will listen to his voice, answering the questions what would you have me do? Where would you have me go? What would you have me say? And to whom I am willing to hear his voice? And I refuse not to hear it. The very fact that you are doing the exercise now, where you lay down your own plan and asks for God's plan for salvation, proves that you have some willingness to listen.

A little bit of willingness goes a long way. That is enough to establish your claim to God's answer. Father, God, what would you have me do? Where would you have me go? What would you have me say into whom only God's plan for salvation will work. So in the shorter practice periods today that we're gonna have many many times. Tell yourself often that God's plan for salvation and only his will work. Be alert to all temptation to hold grievances today. Be alert to all temptation to hold on

to the past today. Be alert to all temptation to determine how the future should look like today, and respond to them with this form of today's idea. Holding grievances is the opposite of God's plan for salvation, and only his plan will work. Try to remember today's idea some six or seven times an hour. There could be no better way to spend half a minute or less to remember the source of your salvation and to see it where it is. Holding grievances is the opposite of God's

plan for salvation, and only his plan will work. Amen, Thank you so much for spending a little bit of time here with us to rejoice in the never failing ways that Jesus is setting out for us to call us home, and that the joy and happiness is my own and the only requirement. It's a little bit of willingness to not try to figure it out myself, but in every single situation ask for help. Father, your plan not mine. Let me be free and joyful and peaceful.