Love Follows Forgiveness

 The full text as prepared for the Sunday, April 14, 2013 message:

Last week I said, in a manner of speaking, that I thought everyone wants to know God more deeply than ever before.  I gave you an exercise to help you to see beyond the appearance of people and to affirm your connection in divinity with the other; “I am another one of you. Together, in Love, we are One.”

Look around this room as you sit here this hour, look around Fellowship Hall after service and ask yourself if you think your interests are really separate from everyone else’s.  Beyond all the goals and aspirations any one of us might have in the world, do you think your deepest interests are really separate, unique and individual?  I don’t.

Once we realize we all share the same interest… to love God deeply… to return to the awareness of the presence of God… once we realize that our interests are not separate… how could we hate, judge, and justify our anger?

The inseparable partner of hate, judgment, anger and so on… is distress. When you are in distress, you know that you are carrying a heavy block to the experience of love’s presence.  And the way to dissolve those blocks is through forgiveness.

Forgiveness dissolves the blocks and then the awareness of the presence of Love is remembered (re-experienced) because love flows into the area of awareness that had been blocked off, lightening our load and bringing us love’s healing relief.

“A teacher once told each of her adult-ed students to bring a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes to school. For every person they refuse to forgive in their life's experience, they chose a potato, wrote on it the name and date, and put it in the plastic bag. Some of their bags were quite heavy.

They were then told to carry this bag with them everywhere for one week, putting it beside their bed at night, on the car seat when driving, next to their desk at work.

The hassle of lugging this around with them made it clear what a weight they were carrying spiritually, and how they had to pay attention to it all the time to not forget and keep leaving it in embarrassing places. Naturally, the condition of the potatoes deteriorated to a nasty smelly slime. This was a great metaphor for the price we pay for holding onto our pain and heavy negativity!

“Forgiveness is not for other people, it is for ourselves so we can get well and heal.” (Max Lucado)

What is forgiveness, why should we forgive, and how do we do it?

CF (CO-F of U) defines forgiveness as, (SLIDE) “A process of giving up the false for the true.” 

Forgiveness is the giving up of critical judgment in favor of that which is eternal… the Presence of God (AKA Love)… looking beyond the stories we project unto other people, and thus see, sense, or sense the possibility of their divinity.  And if we can’t do that (sense their divinity) then look beyond the stories we project onto other people and recognize that they share the same interest we do: to release the barriers to the awareness of Love’s Presence.  And in doing that we’re releasing those barriers in ourselves!

Why should we forgive?  Let’s go to Mr. Fillmore again, (SLIDE) “It is through forgiveness that true spiritual healing is accomplished. Forgiveness removes the errors of the mind and… harmony results in consonance with divine law.”

Forgiveness removes the errors of the mind; harmony results in consonance (agreement) with divine law; and true spiritual healing is accomplished.

It sounds like forgiveness is the key that opens the “Gates of Heaven.”

Forgiveness is not inherent in the mind, forgiveness is acquired.  Why is this?  Because in order for it to be inherent in the mind, (and I’m talking about our right mind… the portion of the mind that is in resonance with Divine Law even if we don’t recognize it…) in order for forgiveness to be inherent in the mind it must be eternal and it is not.  Forgiveness does not exist in Heaven because criticism (judgment) does not exist in Heaven.  This is, in my opinion, why Jesus says in Mark 2:10 that the son of man has the authority on earth to forgive sin.  The idea of sin exists on earth; not in Heaven.

Forgiveness did not come as “standard equipment” at our creation and, thus, must be learned. Criticism is learned from our ego and forgiveness is learned from the Holy Spirit.

Forgiveness erases criticism… and where criticism does not exist, love flows.  Love follows forgiveness.

The preacher's Sunday sermon was Forgive Your Enemies. Toward the end of the service, He asked his congregation, "how many of you have forgiven their enemies"?

About half held up their hands. He then repeated his question. As it was past lunchtime, this time about 80 percent held up their hands. He then repeated his question again. All responded, except one small elderly lady.
       "Mrs. Jones?" inquired the preacher, Are you not willing to forgive your enemies?
       "I don't have any." she replied. smiling sweetly.
       "Mrs. Jones, That is very unusual. How old are you?" "Ninety-three," she replied.
       "Oh Mrs. Jones, what a blessing and a lesson to us all you are. Would you please come down in front of this congregation and tell us all how a person can live ninety-three years and not have an enemy in the world."
       The little sweetheart of a lady tottered down the aisle, faced the congregation, and said "I outlived the old bags."

Since we may not out live all our enemies as Mrs. Jones did :o) How do we forgive?

Here’s one forgiveness process. It’s in the form of a meditation and it comes directly from Lesson 121 in A Course in Miracles; Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness.

In this meditation we will be practicing forgiveness toward someone whom you think of as an enemy… and one whom you think of as a friend.  As you learn to see them both as one, we will extend the lesson to yourself, and see that their escape from your bondage included yours as well.

Begin this meditation by thinking of a friend; someone you love, and trust, and enjoy.

Think, too, of someone you do not like.  Someone who seems to irritate you, or to cause regret in you if you should meet him or her… someone you actively despise… or merely try to overlook.  Whether your grievance is “big” or “small” is irrelevant.  Slight irritation or intense rage are the same. It does not matter what form your anger takes as there is no hierarchy in the illusion you hold.  You probably have chosen him or her already. He, or she, will do.

Now close your eyes and see him in your mind and look at him a while.  Try to perceive some light in him somewhere; a little gleam which you had never noticed.  Try to find some little spark of brightness shining through the ugly picture that you hold of him.

This is not an exercise in New Age affirmations where we see the light in everyone. First we must see “the ugly picture,” before we can see the light shining beyond it.  First get in touch with the ugly picture, for only then can you realize that perceiving the ugliness in others is a barrier you have chosen to conceal the light of truth that is in your mind as well as in others.

Look at this picture you hold in your mind until you see a light somewhere within it, and then try to let this light extend until it covers him, and makes the picture beautiful, and good. (pause about 10 seconds)

Look at the changed perception for a while and turn your mind to the one you call friend.  Try to extend the light you learned to see around your former “enemy” to your friend. 

Then let him extend the light you see in him and let your “enemy” and your friend unite in blessing you with what you gave.  Now you are one with them, and they with you.  Now you have been forgiven by yourself.

Feel how wonderful that feels.

Now I’m going to ask you to bring your awareness back to the time and space in which you find your body.  There is no need to hurry.  As you breathe in deeply, and out again… as your hands and feet begin to move you begin to become more aware of the sanctuary.  Your eyes are starting to open and maybe you’re stretching as you become fully alert, energized, happy and feeling love.

Forgiveness is the key to happiness… and love follows forgiveness.

If you’re willing, take time out of four or five days during the next week and practice this forgiveness meditation:

·        Identify someone you think of as a friend and someone you think of as an enemy

·        Look for some little ray of light in or around the one you think of as an enemy

·        Then try to let this light extend until it covers the friend. Transfer the light to your friend.

·        Next let the friend offer you the light you see in him.  In doing so your friend you’re your “enemy” are blessing you with what you gave.

·        You are one with them and they with you and you have forgiven yourself.

Forgiveness is the key to happiness.

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