When Jesus says that "Creation is the sum of all God's Thoughts, in number infinite, and everywhere without all limit," (W.PII.Q11.1.1) he is making it clear that God created One Son, which tells us that creation is perfect Oneness and that truth is perfectly one. Why does he speak of infinite numbers and then say that "We are creation; we the Sons of God. We seem to be discrete, and unaware of our eternal unity with Him"? (W.PII.Q11.4.1-2) Clearly this is how we currently see ourselves. While the truth is that there is only One Son, our distorted view of reality is that we are actually separate and discrete, but it is only because we are unaware of our eternal unity. While in truth the separation never happened, in our experience it seems that it has. It seems to us that these bodies and this world of time and space is actually our reality. The oneness that Jesus speaks of may seem more like the illusion to us and will seem meaningless until we have some experience of it. Jesus acknowledges this when he says, "All this takes note of time and place as if they were discrete, for while you think that part of you is separate, the concept of a oneness joined as one is meaningless." (T.25.I.7.1)(ACIM OE T.25.II.10) Yet in actuality, the separation never happened. Jesus speaks of this seeming separation as "So very long ago, for such a tiny interval of time, that not one note in Heaven's song was missed." (T.26.V.5.4)(ACIM OE T.26.VI.34)
What is important is what is said about our reality as God's Son and thus the attributes that are ours as a result of our creation. Jesus says, "God's Thoughts are given all the power that their own Creator has." (W.PII.Q11.2.1) As such we all share in that power and we share in all of God's attributes. Thus, we are eternal, unlimited, invulnerable, perfect, powerful beings.

In the world of time, we believe we are separate, but in reality we are one Self. This world of time is simply not real. While we think we have changed ourselves into these separate identities, "What God has willed to be forever One will still be One when time is over; and will not be changed throughout the course of time, remaining as it was before the thought of time began." (W.PII.Q11.2.4) No matter what we think, "Its oneness is forever guaranteed inviolate; forever held within His holy Will, beyond all possibility of harm, or separation, imperfection and of any spot upon its sinlessness." (W.PII.Q11.3.3)

Firmly implanted in our minds is the memory of who we are as the Christ. Yes, we seem to have blotted it out with the noise of the ego and the distractions of this world, but there is a constant call within us to remember who we really are. Our readiness to hear the Voice for Truth, that is in us, depends on the extent of suffering in our lives that we are willing to tolerate. Eventually everyone comes to the place where they declare that there must be a better way. The memory of our Home, behind all of our doubt thoughts, is always there. When the doubt thoughts, the blocks to love, are cleared away through forgiveness, then we no longer will be "unaware of our eternal unity with Him." (W.PII.Q11.4.2) "Yet back of all our doubts, past all our fears, there still is certainty." (W.PII.Q11.4.3)

Our part is to "Let our function be only to let this memory return, only to let God's Will be done on earth, only to be restored to sanity, and to be but as God created us." (W.PII.Q11.4.6) This is what time is for. We have no other function but to join in purpose with our brothers, recognizing we are not different. We share the same purpose, which is to awaken to who we are, and we can only know the truth when we give up our attacks on our brothers. When we attack, we see them as unholy and different from us. We project our guilt on them so that we can feel innocent. When we share in purpose we recognize that our responsibility is to look at the guilt in our own minds and bring it to the healing light so that we can know that we are all sinless. This recognition of our sameness is a reflection of our Oneness. When we know we are innocent, we see innocence in all of our brothers, regardless of their behavior. It is their true nature just as it is our own. Our brother may be listening to his ego and may not yet have recognized that he has another choice, but his will is still the will for God. That call is strong in all of us though we can resist it and we do.

We can be an example of the choice that we have made and recognize that our brother's sleep is still a sleep of innocence in spite of the behavior that is being exhibited. Every step in the journey is still perfect for leading everyone to the place where they will ultimately make the choice for truth. Thus we need not judge anyone but trust all things exactly as they are. Our job is to focus on what is going on in our own minds. "Let our function be only to let this memory return, only to let God's Will be done on earth, only to be restored to sanity, and to be but as God created us." (W.PII.Q11.4.6)

Looking at the lesson for today, "Father, my freedom is in You alone," challenges our view that our freedom lies with the ego. When we define freedom from the perspective of the ego mind, we want to see ourselves as free of responsibilities, demands, and requirements. We want freedom to do what we please, freedom to indulge our wants and our desires, freedom to come and go as we please, and freedom to judge and attack. We believe that freedom is in exercising our own will separate from the Will of God. The separated self is the rebel which resists healing. We demand our space. We insist on our independence. We compete against everyone including God. We think this is freedom yet we are trapped in reaction. We focus on independence and control because we believe it is the way to protect ourselves from pain and sacrifice. We fight to do it our way, as Frank Sinatra sang so eloquently.

It seems to us that surrendering to the Will of God is the end of our freedom as we have defined it. Yet what we call freedom, Jesus calls the imprisonment of our true will. He says, "When you have learned that your will is God's, you could no more will to be without Him than He could will to be without you. This is freedom and this is joy." (T.8.II.6.4-5)(ACIM OE T.8.III.13) It is identification with the ego that limits us and keeps us in a state of uncertainty. It keeps us unaware of what we truly want deep within our hearts.
 
The lesson says that we have "searched in vain," (W.321.1.2) which was certainly my experience for many years. I was always driven by the question of "Who am I?" I looked for answers in books, workshops and relationships. I was always looking for happiness but always felt that it was an elusive thing. Underneath it all was fear and anxiety. My experience was one of searching in vain "until I heard Your Voice directing me." (W.321.1.2) It was not as if I actually heard a voice, but I knew I had found the answer when the Course came into my life, and that was no accident. It is never an accident. We meet who we need to meet and we get what we need whether we are open to it or not until we are ready to receive the Answer. It is our willingness that keeps moving us forward with each step we take to our true freedom. As we apply the lessons and see them contributing to more peace and joy in our lives, our motivation is increased. If we truly want happiness, and true freedom, Jesus says there is only one way, and that is through forgiveness. We know how simple salvation's formula is, yet all of us experience how difficult the process can be, but it need not be. We can choose peace. Jesus says that "when your mood tells you that you have chosen wrongly, and this is so whenever you are not joyous, then know this need not be." (T.4.IV.2.2)(ACIM OE T.4.V.57) The key is willingness. We can always make another choice.
 
Do you notice how much more motivated you are to do this work when you are at the end of your rope? I know for me, I turn to God more often when I am under siege than when everything is going "swimmingly" in the world according to what I think I need. That is why we can be grateful for 'opportunities' that invite us to really dive into this work. Oh yes, we may resist these 'opportunities' and get angry and distressed about things going 'wrong' in our lives, as we perceive them, but if we recognize their contribution to our awakening, we can become happy learners even in the midst of difficulties.

We may think we want things to be different. Yet everything is perfect for our awakening. All that is required is that we become the witness of what is happening around us. In other words we recognize that we are the dreamer and not the character in the dream. When we truly realize that, even the worst things, as we define them, that seem to be happening in our lives can become the doorway into transcendence. Each moment is simply what it is. Once we argue with it, we suffer. Our arguments are the ego's demands that it not be what it is. Acceptance is about releasing these demands. No, it may not be pleasant on the physical level or for our psyches where there will be pain when we resist the experience, but suffering only comes with resistance.

We live under the guidance and control of the ego until we decide that "Now I would guide myself no more." (W.321.1.3) We have tried to be the managers and controllers of our lives, judging events as good, bad, like, don't like, until we come to the realization that no matter how much we try, our goal for our happiness simply cannot be met in the world no matter how many roads we travel here. The first step then is to recognize that no matter how hard we try to control outcomes, and no matter how hard we try to find happiness in the world, we will always fail. Yes, there will always be moments of pleasure, but they will not last. That is why there is always a degree of fear with all of our happy, pleasurable times. We know they will end. With this recognition comes more willingness to surrender and thus more willingness to admit that we have been wrong and to find a better way. The "gift" of ego weariness, as a friend said to me today, can truly move us forward. Jesus is now asking us to trust him on behalf of our own freedom and happiness. On my own, I have  "neither made nor under- stood the way to find my freedom." (W.321.1.4) We must put ourselves in God's Hands. We must learn to make all decisions with the Holy Spirit and not on our own. Trust is the first and most important characteristic of the Teacher of God.

We have an authority problem. We don't want anyone to direct us. Yet only under His direction, only when we surrender to His Will, will we know true freedom. "Your Voice directs me, and the way to Him is opening and clear to me at last." (W.321.1.7) This comes with willingness and surrender. It comes with acknowledgment that we don't know. It is when we recognize that our way has, in fact, imprisoned us and that we deeply desire to know our true will.

Lesson 131 reminds us, "Heaven remains your one alternative to this strange world you made and all its ways; its shifting patterns and uncertain goals, its painful pleasures and its tragic joys." (W.PI.131.7.1) All of our pleasures that we pursue in the world for our happiness actually bring pain, and all that we describe as joys actually result in tragedy. The reason that pain and pleasure are the same is that they share the same purpose. And what is that purpose? It is to make the body identity real in our experience. Both pain and pleasure compel our attention and both distract us from hearing the Holy Spirit's guidance. Are we ready to accept that there is no freedom or happiness apart from Him? When we pursue pleasure we are making the body the center of our focus, which keeps us distracted from what would truly bring us peace and freedom.
 
I recently experienced an event that felt like sacrifice. We had planned to be with friends at a concert, but a call came from someone asking for help. The guidance was to respond to this call, but it meant giving up on the concert and going where I seemed to be directed. Clearly I was to give up my idea of "pleasure" and offer support and be of service instead. In retrospect, I see the fulfillment and joy that came as a result of responding to this call with openness and receptivity, having released any initial resistance. It felt like I was being used to fulfill my purpose and thus felt liberated and joyful. That is what true freedom really is, a deep level of satisfaction that can be found in nothing that I pursue on my own.

You may still find, as I do, that you are pulled between your interests as you define them, and guidance. You may still find that you are reluctant to follow His guidance or, for that matter, even to ask for it. Our fear is still that we think God's way will somehow limit our personal interests. Our fear is still of Love because our demand is always, "I want it THUS!" When we acknowledge that our way is not working, then we open to the Holy Spirit.

We pray the prayer today with the intent of recognizing that we don't understand what freedom is or even where to look to find it. We acknowledge that we have spent our lives searching in vain until we have responded to the call that is in us. "Today we answer for the world, which will be freed along with us," (2.1) because the world is nothing more than the projection of our own thoughts.