Together, We Light the Way

Lesson 14

God did not create a meaningless world.
1. The idea for today is, of course, the reason why a meaningless world is impossible. ²What God did not create does not exist. ³And everything that does exist exists as He created it. ⁴The world you see has nothing to do with reality. ⁵It is of your own making, and it does not exist.
2. The exercises for today are to be practiced with eyes closed throughout. ²The mind-searching period should be short, a minute at most. ³Do not have more than three practice periods with today’s idea unless you find them comfortable. ⁴If you do, it will be because you really understand what they are for.
3. The idea for today is another step in learning to let go the thoughts that you have written on the world, and see the Word of God in their place. ²The early steps in this exchange, which can truly be called salvation, can be quite difficult and even quite painful. ³Some of them will lead you directly into fear. ⁴You will not be left there. ⁵You will go far beyond it. ⁶Our direction is toward perfect safety and perfect peace.
4. With eyes closed, think of all the horrors in the world that cross your mind. ²Name each one as it occurs to you, and then deny its reality. ³God did not create it, and so it is not real. ⁴Say, for example:
⁵God did not create that war, and so it is not real.
⁶God did not create that airplane crash, and so it is not real.
⁷God did not create that disaster [specify], and so it is not real.
5. Suitable subjects for the application of today’s idea also include anything you are afraid might happen to you, or to anyone about whom you are concerned. ²In each case, name the “disaster” quite specifically. ³Do not use general terms. ⁴For example, do not say, “God did not create illness,” but, “God did not create cancer,” or heart attacks, or whatever may arouse fear in you.
6. This is your personal repertory of horrors at which you are looking. ²These things are part of the world you see. ³Some of them are shared illusions, and others are part of your personal hell. ⁴It does not matter. ⁵What God did not create can only be in your own mind apart from His. ⁶Therefore, it has no meaning. ⁷In recognition of this fact, conclude the practice periods by repeating today’s idea:
⁸God did not create a meaningless world.
7. The idea for today can, of course, be applied to anything that disturbs you during the day, aside from the practice periods. ²Be very specific in applying it. ³Say:
⁴God did not create a meaningless world. ⁵He did not create [specify the situation which is disturbing you], and so it is not real. (ACIM, W-14.1:1–7:5)
2025
I’ve done these lessons a number of times, and I don’t want my contemplations to become rote, the same old - same old. It doesn’t mean the horrors will necessarily be different, but I want the list to be genuine and the feelings that come with it to be genuine. So I began with, Lord, here I am. And I waited as my mind cleared of the meaningless thoughts, knowing that I would be guided to the horrors I needed to see.
I took my time and let each one have its moment. And when I followed it with “and so it is not real,” I let myself feel the relief that comes with that belief. I started with the immediate, my son’s depression.
I ended with a more general cruelty, unkindness and self-centeredness of the separated ones. And with each, I reminded myself that not one of them could be real because God did not create them. Afterward, I felt peace and strength knowing that we are as God created us and will always be so, no matter what we dream up to experience.
God did not create a meaningless world.
2026
That first paragraph is pure gold. I suppose that if I were willing to absorb this and take it in completely, suffering would be over in this lifetime. I am so impressed with the simplicity and perfection of this.
God did not create a meaningless world.
²What God did not create does not exist.
³And everything that does exist exists as He created it.
⁴The world you see has nothing to do with reality.
⁵It is of your own making, and it does not exist.
In fact, it is so perfectly clear that I noticed out of the corner of my eye a picture I had saved to my desktop months ago and never used or deleted, so I posted it in my Just Stuff I Like group on Facebook. Then I read jokes others had left, and I had not seen yet. Got a few chuckles out of it and finally came to the one I thought I hadn’t posted. Seems I did after all and just forgot to delete it from my screen. (Eye roll here) So I did that, and while I was there, I cleaned up a couple of other things. And that explains my life and why I am still suffering and need to practice this lesson.
So what about my present horrors? Well, ever since my brother died suddenly, I have this barely acknowledged, underlying unease. What if someone else dies? For instance, what if I lost a child? And off and running, my imagination goes, and I can see how easy it would be for that to happen. Oh, yeah, now it’s not unacknowledged or barely noticed. It’s jumping up and down and waving its arms in my mind.
But God did not create a meaningless world, and what He did not create does not exist. He did not create death and unthinkable loss. This world is my own creation and has nothing to do with reality. And now I want to cry out of relief. Does this mean that my story could never take that turn? Of course it could, but it would still be a story, illusion, a dream. If I insist on believing my world is real, death and loss will feel real to me. I am not waiting for something to be healed — I am remembering that nothing ever happened to the Son of God.
Knowing this, why do I insist on believing in the world I made? Why do I refuse to accept the truth? I suppose that I still choose to believe that letting go of the identification with my character is letting go of me. I must still believe that I would cease to exist if “Myron” ceased to be real to me. That’s just nuts, but while I indulge in that insanity, I don’t pretend not to. I am at least that honest. And I am ready to let go of the illusion and accept my true identity.
It seems to me that I am failing to reach my goal, that I am fighting against what I really want. But I don’t think that’s what’s happening. I think that I am actually making great progress. I can see very clearly what I am doing, the degree of my denial, the fear of awakening that used to be so hidden that I would never acknowledge it. Now, I am not only acknowledging it, but I am also sharing it with you, without shame and without fear. So, yes, real progress has happened.
The personal world I made cannot be real because God did not create it. My personal horrors, therefore, do not exist – never did, never will. I seem to be living in a memory of something that never actually happened, and is not happening now. I am willing to dream a happier dream until I wake up. The relief I feel when I say this is indescribable. Holy Spirit, help me keep this truth in my mind from now on. I want to accept my true Identity now.
Video: https://youtu.be/aMRrrJbRLTI

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