I thought that this exchange between Dave and I was a good example of the difference between forgiveness and actually surrendering your perception of the event or person.
Susan: When you say to pray to the Holy Spirit for a miracle to see the truth about a situation or a person, are we to forgive that person if there was a conflict or just accept them for what it is?
Dr. Hawkins: No, because you’re still seeing them the same way or you wouldn’t be forgiving them. Through “The Course in Miracles” for instance, the miraculous occurs, but not as the consequence of how you’re seeing it, because you may still see it the same way and yet it happens. So when I ask for a miracle, I’m surrendering my perception of how I see it and then it’s transformed. And when it’s transformed, I see that it still is loveable, yeah. I see that somebody I’m angry at cannot help but be that way. So now instead of hating them or being angry, I feel sorry for them and I say it’s too bad that they can’t see it the way I’m seeing it. Because I know their life is painful the way they are seeing the world and when they see it my way, the world stops being painful. Yes, uh, huh.
Susan: OK