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ACIM: LESSON 46.- God is the Love in which I forgive
1. God does not forgive because He has never condemned. ²And there must be condemnation before forgiveness is necessary. ³Forgiveness is the great need of this world, but that is because it is a world of illusions. ⁴Those who forgive are thus releasing themselves from illusions, while those who withhold forgiveness are binding themselves to them. ⁵As you condemn only yourself, so do you forgive only yourself.
2. Yet although God does not forgive, His Love is nevertheless the basis of forgiveness. ²Fear condemns and love forgives. ³Forgiveness thus undoes what fear has produced, returning the mind to the awareness of God. ⁴For this reason, forgiveness can truly be called salvation. ⁵It is the means by which illusions disappear.
3. Today’s exercises require at least three full five-minute practice periods, and as many shorter ones as possible. ²Begin the longer practice periods by repeating today’s idea to yourself, as usual. ³Close your eyes as you do so, and spend a minute or two in searching your mind for those whom you have not forgiven. ⁴It does not matter “how much” you have not forgiven them. ⁵You have forgiven them entirely or not at all.
4. If you are doing the exercises well you should have no difficulty in finding a number of people you have not forgiven. ²It is a safe rule that anyone you do not like is a suitable subject. ³Mention each one by name, and say:
⁴God is the Love in which I forgive you, [name].
5. The purpose of the first phase of today’s practice periods is to put you in a position to forgive yourself. ²After you have applied the idea to all those who have come to mind, tell yourself:
³God is the Love in which I forgive myself.
⁴Then devote the remainder of the practice period to adding related ideas such as:
⁵God is the Love with which I love myself.
⁶God is the Love in which I am blessed.
6. The form of the application may vary considerably, but the central idea should not be lost sight of. ²You might say, for example:
³I cannot be guilty because I am a Son of God.
⁴I have already been forgiven.
⁵No fear is possible in a mind beloved of God.
⁶There is no need to attack because love has forgiven me.
⁷The practice period should end, however, with a repetition of today’s idea as originally stated.
7. The shorter practice periods may consist either of a repetition of the idea for today in the original or in a related form, as you prefer. ²Be sure, however, to make more specific applications if they are needed. ³They will be needed at any time during the day when you become aware of any kind of negative reaction to anyone, present or not. ⁴In that event, tell him silently:
⁵God is the Love in which I forgive you.