1. Today\u2019s idea is merely another way of saying \u201cLet me not wander into temptation.\u201d \u00b2The purpose of the world you see is to obscure your function of forgiveness, and provide you with a justification for forgetting it. \u00b3It is the temptation to abandon God and His Son by taking on a physical appearance. \u2074It is this the body\u2019s eyes look upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Nothing the body\u2019s eyes seem to see can be anything but a form of temptation, since this was the purpose of the body itself. \u00b2Yet we have learned that the Holy Spirit has another use for all the illusions you have made, and therefore He sees another purpose in them. \u00b3To the Holy Spirit, the world is a place where you learn to forgive yourself what you think of as your sins. \u2074In this perception, the physical appearance of temptation becomes the spiritual recognition of salvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. To review our last few lessons, your function here is to be the light of the world, a function given you by God. \u00b2It is only the arrogance of the ego that leads you to question this, and only the fear of the ego that induces you to regard yourself as unworthy of the task assigned to you by God Himself. \u00b3The world\u2019s salvation awaits your forgiveness, because through it does the Son of God escape from all illusions, and thus from all temptation. \u2074The Son of God is you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Only by fulfilling the function given you by God will you be happy. \u00b2That is because your function is to be happy by using the means by which happiness becomes inevitable. \u00b3There is no other way. \u2074Therefore, every time you choose whether or not to fulfill your function, you are really choosing whether or not to be happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Let us remember this today. \u00b2Let us remind ourselves of it in the morning and again at night, and all through the day as well. \u00b3Prepare yourself in advance for all the decisions you will make today by remembering they are all really very simple. \u2074Each one will lead to happiness or unhappiness. \u2075Can such a simple decision really be difficult to make? \u2076Let not the form of the decision deceive you. \u2077Complexity of form does not imply complexity of content. \u2078It is impossible that any decision on earth can have a content different from just this one simple choice. \u2079That is the only choice the Holy Spirit sees. \u00b9\u2070Therefore it is the only choice there is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Today, then, let us practice with these thoughts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2<\/sup>Let me not forget my function.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 3<\/sup>Let me not try to substitute mine for God\u2019s.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 4<\/sup>Let me forgive and be happy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 5<\/sup>At least once devote ten or fifteen minutes today to reflecting on this with closed eyes. 6<\/sup>Related thoughts will come to help you, if you remember the crucial importance of your function to you and to the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. In the frequent applications of today\u2019s idea throughout the day, devote several minutes to reviewing these thoughts, and then thinking about them and about nothing else. \u00b2This will be difficult, at first particularly, since you are not proficient in the mind discipline that it requires. \u00b3You may need to repeat \u201cLet me not forget my function\u201d quite often to help you concentrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. Two forms of shorter practice periods are required. \u00b2At times, do the exercises with your eyes closed, trying to concentrate on the thoughts you are using. \u00b3At other times, keep your eyes open after reviewing the thoughts, and then look slowly and unselectively around you, telling yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4<\/sup>This is the world it is my function to save.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n