July 17, 2011 – Daily Forgiveness Prayer

7/17/11 Rev. David McArthur

What do we do about those things which show up when we are about to go to sleep, or at 3 a.m. when we can’t sleep? Unity has the commitment we call practical spirituality. Part of the power of being a spiritual being is choosing how we feel when stuff shows up. Daily, the emotional structure of our mind jumps to protect ourselves when that person or that situation shows up. We perceive those things are not of God, but we know God is good all the time. This is a duality, but we can choose to move from that duality to oneness.

There is a simple way to work with those people and things that stimulate our perception of duality. We have the power to let it go. Jesus taught, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the alter and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23,24; New International Version.) The altar is where we become one with God, where we give our gift. Simply bring the being or situation into consciousness and pray: “God forgives you and so do I.” Repeat it 3 times, bringing it into your spirit, mind, and body. “…then come and offer your gift.” Your gift is your intention – peace. That is what you had given away, and the only way to get it back is to give it. So pray, “God forgives you and so do I. I send you peace.” (See yourself give or send peace and love in a figure 8. That’s giving with non-attachment. Send it around the people or situation and then see it cross over and go around yourself.) You can also pray for the other “person” in you, that part of yourself you criticize the most.

At the end of your day, ask, “where in this day was I not at peace?” As you do this over time you create a list. And you create a consciousness of forgiveness. Can you do this for a week? – a month? – a year?

Catherine Ponder reports a woman told her it profoundly changed her life. As she practiced this formula of forgiving, she experienced great peace and release of past judgments and unhappiness. Some things took a year for this. And then this person was even healed of an “incurable” illness. Such healing happens because it opens a person to the divine nature of wholeness. There is no limit in our lives except that which we put there. God doesn’t have any limits for you, when you raise the consciousness within you!

Pray, “God forgives you and so do I.” “I send you peace.”