Commentary on A Course in Miracles, Lesson 24

What if I don’t want to fish?

Welcome to Daily Miracles, a running commentary on the 365 lessons of A Course in Miracles, an influential spiritual text from the 1970s. I am James Leroy Wilson and I invite you to join me as I go through this material for the first time.

I do not perceive my own best interests. (ACIM, W-24)

This lesson tells us that in any situation, we have too many goals, often conflicting goals, which leaves us dissatisfied no matter the outcome.

I often find the conflict unfolding in two ways:

• In Situation A, I want x to happen so that I don’t have to worry about Situation A right now. I want to eat right now.
• Also in Situation A, I want y to happen so that I never ever have to worry about Situation A again.I don’t want to worry about my next meal ever.

That old saying: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” Well, perhaps I want to be fed for a lifetime, so I think I want to learn how to fish, but I don’t really want to fish; I don’t even like fish. But I’m told this is the only sensible thing to do if I’m to be fed.

So I start fishing, but wish there was another way. So even if I’m fed, I’m not happy, but I don’t know what else to do.

It’s true: do not perceive my own best interests.

James Leroy Wilson writes Daily Miracles, The Daily Bible Chapter, JL Cells, and The MVP Chase. Thanks for your subscriptions and support!

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