Library of Christ Mind Teachings
ACIM Original Edition
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74 The holy instant is nothing more than a special case or an extreme
example of what every situation is meant to be. The meaning which the
Holy Spirit’s purpose has given it is also given to every situation. It
calls forth just the same suspension of faithlessness, withheld and left
unused, that faith might answer to the call of truth. The holy instant
is the shining example, the clear and unequivocal demonstration of the
meaning of every relationship and every situation, seen as a whole.
Faith has accepted every aspect of the situation, and faithlessness has
not forced any exclusion on it. It is a situation of perfect peace
simply because you have let it be what it is.
75 This simple courtesy is all the Holy Spirit asks of you. Let truth be
what it is. Do not intrude upon it, do not attack it, do not interrupt
its coming. Let it encompass every situation and bring you peace. Not
even faith is asked of you, for truth asks nothing. Let it enter, and it
will call forth and secure for you the faith you need for peace. But
rise you not against it, for against your opposition it cannot come.
76 Would you not want to make a holy instant of every situation? For
such is the gift of faith, freely given wherever faithlessness is laid
aside unused. And then the power of the Holy Spirit’s purpose is free to
use instead. This power instantly transforms all situations into one
sure and continuous means for establishing His purpose and demonstrating
its reality. What has been demonstrated has called for faith and has
been given it. Now it becomes a fact from which faith can no longer
be withheld. The strain of refusing faith to truth is enormous and far
greater than you realize. But to answer truth with faith entails no
strain at all.
77 To you who have acknowledged the call of your Redeemer, the strain of
not responding to His call seems to be greater than before. This is not
so. Before, the strain was there but you attributed it to something
else, believing that the “something else” produced it. This was never
true. For what the “something else” produced was sorrow and depression,
sickness and pain, darkness and dim imaginings of terror, cold fantasies
of fear and fiery dreams of hell. And it was nothing but the intolerable
strain of refusing to give faith to truth and see its evident reality.
78 Such was the crucifixion of the Son of God. His faithlessness did
this to him. Think carefully before you let yourself use faithlessness
against him. For he is risen, and you have accepted the cause of his
awakening as yours. You have assumed your part in his redemption, and
you are now fully responsible to him. Fail him not now, for it has been
given you to realize what your lack of faith in him must mean to you.
His salvation is your only purpose. See only this in every situation,
and it will be a means for bringing only this.
79 When you accepted truth as the goal for your relationship, you became
givers of peace as surely as your Father gave peace to you. For the goal
of peace cannot be accepted apart from its conditions, and you had
faith in it, for no one accepts what he does not believe is real. Your
purpose has not changed and will not change, for you accepted what can
never change. And nothing that it needs to be forever changeless can
you now withhold from it. Your release is certain. Give as you have
received. And demonstrate that you have risen far beyond any situation
that could hold you back and keep you separate from Him Whose call you
answered.