Jesus is quite specific (below) telling us that the correction of FEAR is our responsibility. If we don’t exercise discipline in saying “no” to fear, we will be unable to accept the miracle of healing.
As I explain in “The End of Death”, all fear arises from our deep unconscious (and insane) belief that we are guilty. It is this un-relinquished guilt which secretly EXPECTS punishment. It therefore attracts/manifests exactly what we BELIEVE we deserve which is suffering. We can tell what we unconsciously believe we deserve by looking at all our DEFENSES which represent our FEARS (body, health, finances, relationships, etc.).
Remember that whatever we fear…we attract. This is why the Forgiveness Process (Atonement) is so valuable to help UNDO these secret attractions. For the 7 Practical Steps to Forgiveness click here
Fear sparks all our attempts to problem-solve at the “form” level (body, finances, relationships, etc.). Yet the fundamental and unrecognized CAUSE of all suffering is FEAR which is in our mind. When we’re fearful we have chosen wrongly. And that is WHY we feel responsible FOR it; and why we attempt to problem-solve INDEPENDENTLY from Spirit. We must prioritize changing our MIND… not our behavior. Jesus explains below how important it is that we guard our mind against fear:
“If you are trusting in your own strength, you have every reason to be apprehensive, anxious and fearful.”
“Being afraid seems to be involuntary; something beyond your own control. Yet I have said already that only constructive acts should be involuntary. My control can take over everything that does not matter, while my guidance can direct everything that does, if you so choose. Fear cannot be controlled by me, but it can be self-controlled. Fear prevents me from giving you my control. The presence of fear shows that you have raised body thoughts to the level of the mind. This removes them from my control, and makes you feel personally responsible for them. This is an obvious confusion of levels.
I do not foster level confusion, but you must choose to correct it. You would not excuse insane behavior on your part by saying you could not help it. Why should you condone insane thinking? There is a confusion here that you would do well to look at clearly. You may believe that you are responsible for what you do, but not for what you think. The truth is that you are responsible for what you think, because it is only at this level that you can exercise choice. What you do comes from what you think. You cannot separate yourself from the truth by “giving” autonomy to behavior. This is controlled by me automatically as soon as you place what you think under my guidance. Whenever you are afraid, it is a sure sign that you have allowed your mind to miscreate and have not allowed me to guide it.
It is pointless to believe that controlling the outcome of misthought can result in healing. When you are fearful, you have chosen wrongly. That is why you feel responsible for it. You must change your mind, not your behavior, and this IS a matter of willingness. You do not need guidance except at the mind level. Correction belongs only at the level where change is possible. Change does not mean anything at the symptom level, where it cannot work.
The correction of fear IS your responsibility. When you ask for release from fear, you are implying that it is not. You should ask, instead, for help in the conditions that have brought the fear about. These conditions always entail a willingness to be separate. At that level you CAN help it. You are much too tolerant of mind wandering, and are passively condoning your mind’s miscreations. The particular result does not matter, but the fundamental error does. The correction is always the same. Before you choose to do anything, ask me if your choice is in accord with mine. If you are sure that it is, there will be no fear.” – A Course in Miracles, W-47.1., T-2.VI.1-4
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Oh Nouk, you are such a blessing. The transference of trust has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. To live frequently beyond fear, a jewel without price. Big gratitude sister