Today, we are reminded again, there is no need to look for answers to the question of "Who am I?" We keep wondering about our identities because we have made up a self that is not who we are. We are convinced we are bodies and our false self-concepts, beliefs, values and perceived needs uphold this false identity. The beliefs we hold are both personal and cultural and are deeply ingrained in us. In fact, Jesus tells us they have been overlearned, which is why it takes a lot of discipline, constant mind training, and a lot of practice to undo what we have accepted as true about who we are. "Now does your ancient over-learning stand implacable before the Voice of truth, and teach you that Its lessons are not true; too hard to learn, too difficult to see, and too opposed to what is really true." (T.31.I.5.4) Jesus tells us, " You have exerted great effort to preserve what you made because it was not true." (T.6.V.C.10.5)(ACIM OE T.6. V.c.95) Now we defend our image, our body, and our belief system, always staying vigilant in its protection.

We could choose instead to be vigilant on behalf of truth so we could remember the truth of who we really are. "Your vigilance is the sign that you want Him to guide you. Vigilance does require effort, but only until you learn that effort itself is unnecessary." (T.6.V.C.10.3-4)(ACIM OE T.6. V.c.95) "Only this can cancel out the need for effort, and call upon the being which you both have and are." (T.6.V.C.10.7)(ACIM OE T.6. V.c.95)

When we recognize we have been mistaken and we are still as God created us, there is no more effort to be made. Until then, we have to remind ourselves we are like the sunbeam to the sun. The sun has determined the nature of the sunbeam and God has determined our nature as pure and sinless. It cannot be otherwise. We are still part of our Source. (W.260.1.2) In our insanity, we thought we made ourselves. The important thing is to ask for help in undoing all that stands in the way of our true identity as we say, "Let me remember my Identity." (W.260.1.5) There is nothing to pay for or atone for. The door to Heaven is open. We have never left our Source. "Ideas leave not their source." (W.132.5.3) The way I remember who I am as God's Son is through forgiveness, remembering we are all the same. We all share the same interests and same nature as God's Son. If I attack you, I am only attacking myself. There is only One Self. God loves all my brothers. If I hate them, or judge them, I am stating clearly my will is different than God's. I must ask for help so I could see my brother as my Self.

Healing the separation comes through healing in our relationships. "Peace to your holy relationship, which has the power to hold the unity of the Son of God together" (T.20.V.2.5)(ACIM OE T.20.VI.38) Jesus goes on to say that our healing lies only in recognizing our joint will. When we recognize our one need, which is to awaken from this dream, we recognize our sameness. Our differences only appear to conceal the goal we all share. It is in forgiveness of our brothers that, "Now our Source is remembered, and Therein we find our true Identity at last." (W.260.2.1)

With every situation that seems to bring distress, pain, difficulty, conflict, or confusion, there is a gift of grace and liberation. In bringing the problem to the solution, God's grace comes to our awareness. Thus, every problem can bring us a gift when we refrain from trying to solve it independent of the help of the Holy Spirit. When we look at every issue that comes up in our lives without judgment, it means we are looking with Jesus instead of with the ego. When we are willing to be defenseless in investigating our fears and allowing the Holy Spirit to reinterpret them for us, grace will shine through. We are worth the effort, the time and the discipline it takes to unlock our defenses to Love. When we keep ourselves from feeling our discomfort, we are defending against God's Love. We have not left our Source but remain part of Who created us. (W.260.1.2) We are not our past, our mistakes, our upbringings, nor the stories we tell about our lives. We are awesome and glorious beings created by Love, and through forgiveness we will see everyone else in the same way, so we could know the Self  we are.

Today we heard of a man who was climbing in Jasper and felt he just could not go on. He had been hurt, seemed to be out of his range and not sure of his whereabouts. In the midst of his fear and pain, he kept reminding himself he was invulnerable, created by God, not his body and but safe and protected. It gave him strength, courage and hope. If we could bring our fears to the truth in every circumstance, our minds would be returned to the peace, which is our natural state. In releasing our fears and reminding ourselves of the truth, we can find peace in the midst of turmoil, whether climbing a mountain in dangerous situations or in the midst of conflict with our partner. Remembering the truth will take us out of the rant, out of our tantrums, and out of our need to be right. Is it easy? No indeed, only because we make it difficult, and when we surrender and commit to peace, the doorway is always available to us.

To have this Lesson really come alive in our minds, we need to remember we did not make ourselves, but we are a Thought in God's mind. Yet we do feel like we have shaped our identity, and we continue to shape it with our actions, values, and beliefs. We also assess how the world responds to us, which also determines how we think about ourselves. We have an identity we think we have made, and now we compare ourselves to others to see if we are more or less special. Whether we attack or do good deeds, our identity seems to keep changing. Yet the truth of ourselves is beyond all of our acts and deeds. We are not a blank slate at birth shaped by events of our lives. We have made a choice to be here and to live out a script we also have chosen, including the characters that show up in our dream. The events that seem painful to the ego can be our most powerful motivators to look for another way.

What I find helpful with this practice today is not only to try to get in touch with the truth of my Identity as a complete and perfect thought in God's Mind, but throughout the day, when feelings or thoughts come up about myself, I try to focus on the thoughts: "Let me remember You created me. Let me remember my Identity." (W.260.1.4-5) It is a good antidote to thoughts of guilt, despair, and depression. When I have done something attacking and I feel down about myself, I can look at these feelings and bring them to the Holy Spirit, remembering again the truth of my creation. We can't change ourselves. We can't make ourselves. We are God's creation, a Thought in His Mind, totally pure and untouchable. Yes, in the illusion, there are things we have done we are ashamed of, feel guilty about, or feel unworthy as a result of. But these are all part of the illusory story of our lives and the secrets we hold in darkness that we need to bring to the light. Then we can have the experience of the unlimited, whole, holy, beautiful, radiant and pure creation of God that we are.