Section V. The Function of the Miracle Worker 1-5
- Before miracle workers are ready to undertake their function in this world, it is essential that they fully understand the fear of release. Otherwise they may unwittingly foster the belief that release is imprisonment, a belief that is already very prevalent. This misperception arises in turn from the belief that harm can be limited to the body. That is because of the underlying fear that the mind can hurt itself. None of these errors is meaningful because the miscreations of the mind do not really exist. This recognition is a far better protective device than any form of level confusion because it introduces correction at the level of the error. It is essential to remember that only the mind can create, and that correction belongs at the thought level. To amplify an earlier statement, spirit is already perfect and therefore does not require correction. The body does not exist except as a learning device for the mind. This learning device is not subject to errors of its own, because it cannot create. It is obvious, then, that inducing the mind to give up its miscreations is the only application of creative ability that is truly meaningful.
- Magic is the mindless or the miscreative use of the mind. Physical medication are forms of “spells,” but if you are afraid to use the mind to heal, you should not attempt to do so. The very fact that you are afraid makes your mind vulnerable to miscreation. You are therefore likely to misunderstand any healing that might occur, and because egocentricity and fear usually occur together, you may be unable to accept the real Source of the healing. Under these conditions, it is safer for you to rely temporarily on physical healing devices, because you cannot misperceive them as your own creations. As long as your sense of vulnerability persists, you should not attempt to perform miracles.
- I have already said that miracles are expressions of miracle-mindedness, and miracle-mindedness means right-mindedness. The right-minded neither exalt nor depreciate the mind of the miracle worker or the miracle receiver. However, as a correction, the miracle need not await the right-mindedness of the receiver. In fact, its purpose is to restore him to his right mind. It is essential, however, that the miracle worker be in his right mind, however briefly, or he will be unable to re-establish right-mindedness in someone else.
- The healer who relies on his own readiness is endangering his understanding. You are perfectly safe as long as you are completely unconcerned about your readiness but maintain a consistent trust in mine. If your miracle working inclinations are not functioning properly, it is always because fear has intruded on your right-mindedness and has turned it upside down. All forms of not-right-mindedness are the result of refusal to accept the Atonement for yourself. If you do accept it, you are in a position to recognize that those who need healing are simply those who have not realized that right-mindedness is healing.
- The sole responsibility of the miracle worker is to accept the Atonement for himself. This means you recognize that mind is the only creative level, and that its errors are healed by the Atonement. Once you accept this, your mind can only heal. By denying your mind any destructive potential and reinstating its purely constructive powers, you place yourself in a position to undo the level confusion of others. The message you then give to them is the truth that their minds are similarly constructive, and their miscreations cannot hurt them. By affirming this you release the mind from over evaluating its own learning device and restore the mind to its true position as the learner. [1]
Today in our Course reading, Jesus expounds upon the meaning of release from fear. It is critical to our calling that we understand that release from fear means release from all fear. No matter what errors our minds are fretting about when it comes to performing miracles and to experience the healing that follows, the remedy takes place at our thought level. Spirit is already perfect, the body is a mere learning device for the mind, and cannot create or miscreate, and all fabrications that the mind does come up with are not real! We have made a virtual reality based upon that which keeps us apart and not together, that which makes us suspicious of each other instead of trusting one another – and the way in which we are to use our beautiful creative ability is to give up all separation thoughts and practices and only stand for unity, for recognizing our Sonship with God and recognizing our brothers as ourselves.
Jesus calls our external worlds “magic,” because it is a world of fantasy instead of reality. The more we learn of Truth the more we see the temporal, dream-like qualities of time and physical existence. In reference to healing, physical medications are “spells” because the mind is what actually heals. Our fear of the power of our minds keeps us from using them creatively and properly. Our fear of the mind has us believe that those who consciously use the power of their minds are magicians. We tend to marvel, idolize, and make spectacles over the deeds of those who use the power of their minds in either a constructive or a destructive way. Jesus says that egocentricity and fear usually occur together. While we have become very comfortable using our minds to keep the separation going, few of us have been willing to devote our minds for blessing others. When we welcome and accept the Principle of Love as our guide, we have nothing to fear.
For me personally, I have had a fear of healing because there are times I have offered a miracle and the person recovered in an extraordinary way and other times I have offered the miracle and there was no change at all. I did not really know what I was doing right in the instances where it worked, nor did I understand what I was doing wrong in the latter instances. In both cases I experienced bewilderment and confusion and so I have moved away from offering healing. After all, the miracle of shifting our consciousness to that of Son of God rather than flesh and bone is the first step toward healing. In yesterday’s reading it seemed apparent to me that healing was not our responsibility, we were only accountable for offering the miracle. Upon close reading of today’s text however, it does seem apparent that miracles, Atonement, and healing are three aspects of the same release from fear. The miracle shifts the consciousness to that of Sonship and releases us from fear. Atonement, the Principle of Love, releases from fear. Healing is the result of a complete release from fear. If we are miracle workers, we are healers.
Jesus advises that as long as I experience fear or confusion, it is better to let physical remedies suffice rather than practice miracles blindly and without complete understanding. In my experience, when I am moved by Spirit to offer prayer and healing to someone in need, there is a miracle. I do not have to be present to offer the miracle and would not dream of taking credit for it. However, when miracles are credited to my name, they generate not only a sense of gratitude but almost a sense of worship and specialness that makes me very uncomfortable. We are not to perform miracles for any other reason than to offer help and no matter how pure the heart of the miracle worker, many times if someone does credit your prayers and faith for their recovery, you stand the risk of being misunderstood, held in awe, which should only be reserved for God, and/or elevated to sainthood. This creeps me out for I know all too well that I am not a saint and am no different than anyone else!
Miracles are only an expression of the mind which is right, which sees past illusion and to the truth of the matter. There is never any reason to make more or less of the mind of a miracle worker. While there is certainly no cause for mockery of someone who is doing their best to practice right-mindedness in a world based upon lies, illusion, and accusations against Creation, there is absolutely no cause for idolizing or fearing someone for the same thing. The mind of a miracle worker is the mind of someone who has decided to seek God, to seek Truth, to follow Jesus and stop believing in what has only brought them heartache, sorrow, and despair. The whole purpose of the miracle is to restore our minds to truth, to that which is right and not wrong, to give us hope rather than despair. While we are graced to be in the presence of anyone who heeds the call of God and shares an honest account of this process, it does not make them special, for they are doing only what we all will eventually do – come to the end of adding to illusion and begin using our mind for truth.
Any fear that we experience in performing miracles is because we have allowed ourselves to believe in physicality over spirituality. We have believed that this particular person or this particular illness is just too sinful or too far gone for God to heal. Instead of trusting in God, we start trusting in our own judgment, we believe what our flesh eyes see instead of the vision of Christ. The remedy for us at these times is always the Atonement. The Principle of Love will always draw us back to giving to others what God has given us. We offer miracles when we treat our brothers as we ourselves wish to be treated. We offer healing in order to be healed ourselves. The Atonement is the give to receive and the receive to give principle. Once the Atonement has been reestablished in our minds, performing miracles is natural to us. We get over our fear of the miraculous the more we practice and teach and welcome miracles to flow out through us to others because they bless and correct instead of curse.
In the last paragraph of today’s reading, Jesus reminds us that accepting the Atonement is the sole responsibility of the miracle worker. When we accept the Atonement we recognize the mind as the only creative level about us. Any lies and illusion created by mind is corrected by Atonement, the Principle of Love, which is receive to give and give to receive. We give to our brothers that which we ourselves desire for ourselves. When we accept Atonement we accept the responsibility for the thoughts we hold in our mind toward our brothers. We no longer think of them as different from ourselves, as being more deserving or less deserving, as being more worthy or less worthy. Atonement is the correction of all that goes wrong. It is you and me saying, there will be no more destruction, hatred, fear, or separation in my mind because my mind belongs only to God. We stand with Christ when we accept the Atonement for Christ is no different than us except blessing is the only choice Christ makes while we who are still wishy-washy and ineffectual miracle workers may still find ourselves tempted to find worth in that which does not bless.
Today let us pray together, me for you and you for me:
Dear Heavenly Father: Let us recognize that our minds are the only creative level and that all lies, and magic, and illusions are corrected when we accept Atonement. Let our faith be completely in You and in Your plan of salvation, for when my mind is healed, my mind can only heal other minds. Let me make the choice then only for that which blesses and provides the means for others to use their minds only for You. Set us free from the stupor of all of our own devices, fantasies, and vengeance. Let us not degrade our minds nor exalt them – but only see them restored to their true position as learner, seeker, and healer. In the name of Jesus, with Whom we are one. Amen.
[1] A Course in Miracles. Chapter 2: V The function of the miracle worker. 1-5. Foundation for Inner Peace, Second Edition (1992). pp. 24-26.
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