A meaningless world engenders fear.

1-14-2024

“Because I think I am in competition with God.”

The second paragraph of the lesson explains this:

“Recognition of meaninglessness arouses intense anxiety in all the separated ones. It represents a situation in which God and the ego “challenge” each other as to whose meaning is to be written in the empty space that meaninglessness provides. The ego rushes in frantically to establish its own ideas there, fearful that the void may otherwise be used to demonstrate its own impotence and unreality. And on this alone it is correct.”

A meaningless world is neutral or not significant. Our egos can’t accept this space as unimportant because this is where the ego lives, experiences, and creates. In the eyes of ego, nothing can be neutral in its role to secure us. It must determine good and bad for the survival of the body.

If all the world is neutral, then ego is unnecessary (showing its impotence as the lesson states).

A meaningless world engenders fear because … God is wrong, has messed things up, and I have to fix it!

This is how the ego thinks. Sad really.

1-13-2023

“… because I think I am in competition with God.”

Although the lesson expects us to feel resistance to the idea of being in competition with God, I do not. I know I lack trust in God (blogged about it many times). I think I can problem solve all my own issues as well as the world’s. God’s way can be scary because it is unknown, unexpected, and I’ll have to give up control.

“Recognition of meaninglessness arouses intense anxiety in all the separated ones.”

As I read the second paragraph, I thought of Robert speaking of separation as he taught the nine types of the Enneagram. Each ennea type has an aspect of fear brought on by separation from the Whole … God.

For example: Type 1 – what if I’m not good enough; Type 2 – who will care for me; Type 4 – what if Love can’t find me?

All these fears are within me. It is beginning to make sense to me that if this place is meaningless, insignificant, that we put importance on things to soothe ourselves. (For a child, the love of a teddy bear to create a loving field as they feel separated from God’s loving field.)

“The ego rushes in …”

The ego is a tool and therefore a gift.

We are frightened little souls when we come here, who cannot remember their Loving Father and “Home”. The ego was given to use to help keep us safe. We’ve just taken it too far in fearing God, not trusting God, and being in competition with God.

The forgetting must end! (Now I’m telling God what to do. ☹ When will I learn?!)