Today we are going to dive into a thoughtful question from Jen.
After watching a video of mine on YouTube, she made a comment under one of the videos about finding her purpose.
🎧Click here to hear the audio version.
Here is what she asked:
QUESTION:
“If there is no world, why would you need a purpose? Isn’t that what religion does?
How can ACIM say we have a purpose if we also have no world? That doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Well, Jen, I first of all appreciate you for asking this question.
It is very honest, and it is one that touches on one of the most misunderstood ideas in A Course in Miracles.
And it is the idea of there is no world.
Unfortunately, it has often been used to deny the world—to deny our purpose, to deny our brothers and sisters.
But denial is not the goal of A Course In Miracles. Understanding is.
Awakening is remembering who we truly are.
And by understanding what “there is no world” truly means according to Jesus and A Course in Miracles, we will also understand what purpose means according to Jesus and the Course.
And I’m so excited to dive into this topic with all of you.
What Is “My Purpose” in A Course in Miracles?
MY ANSWER:
Let’s start with purpose first.
What is “purpose” in A Course in Miracles? Well, let’s start right off the bat with a quote from the Course.
It says:
“I have a function that God would have me fill.”
Okay — so what is that function?
According to Jesus and A Course in Miracles, that function is, first and foremost, forgiveness.
Why Is Forgiveness My First Function?
Forgiveness helps us undo erroneous misperceptions in our mind — about ourselves, others, and the world.
It cleanses our mind of egoic thoughts and worldly laws so we can look upon the world through Christ’s eyes — through Holy Spirit’s vision instead of our own.
Forgiveness is the ticket to freedom.
It clears the mind so it can align with the Holy Spirit — the Mind of Christ — and receive our divine purpose.
Without forgiveness, we cannot get in touch with our true function and purpose here, because forgiveness is what clears the way to remember it.
How Does Forgiveness Lead to Remembering Who I Am?
If we look at Workbook Lesson 192, which talks about having a function that God would have us fill, we see that our function is also to remember who we are as God created us.
When we begin to remember that, we remember that God — our loving Creator — has a plan for our healing and salvation.
He has a plan not only for us individually, but for us collectively.
Together, we are here for the salvation of the world.
How Do My Relationships Help Me Wake Up?
A big way we do that is by forgiving in our mind first — and then extending what we’ve received.
- We extend the love we’ve received.
- We extend the shifts in perception we’ve received.
- We extend the miracles we’ve received.
Our function is to forgive so that we can become miracle-minded, remember who we are as one of God, and extend the love and miracles through our hands.
Our ultimate purpose is to awaken to the truth of our identity as the holy, innocent child of God.
Am I Asked to Deny the World?
Here’s the beautiful paradox:
While awakening happens within, it plays out through our interactions in the world.
We’re not asked to deny the world.
We’re asked to see that this is an interactive universe governed by God’s laws — ask and receive, give and receive.
Through our interactions, relationships, and extensions, we remember and wake up more and more.
Because as we give, we receive. As we teach, we learn.
What Does It Mean to “Be in the World but Not of It”?
Yes — A Course in Miracles teaches that this world is ultimately an illusion.
It’s not real in the eternal sense. But it also teaches that our time here is valuable, sacred, and purposeful.
We’re not here for no reason.
We’re here to remember who we are, to work miracles, and to allow Heaven — which we never left — to reflect here.
That’s why we’re not to deny our brothers or withdraw from this world.
We’re here to give as we want to receive.
How Do I Bless the World with Miracles?
It says in the Teacher’s Manual that everyone must learn that giving and receiving are the same.
If I want to be happy and know myself as loved, lovable, and loving, then I must offer happiness to others.
This doesn’t mean denying our brothers. It means seeing them truly.
It doesn’t mean denying the world. It means using the world as a classroom — a sacred classroom — where we learn and wake up and remember who we are.
Why Does the Course Say “Let Me Not Forget My Function”?
This is Lesson 64: “Let me not forget my function.”
We are to extend love, to forgive, to let the Holy Spirit use our eyes, hands, feet, and voice to bless the world with miracles.
That is God’s will for us — to bless the world with miracles. This is a Course in Miracles — we’re meant to learn how to work miracles here.
The extension of miracles is the natural effect of accepting them in our mind.
How Can I Let the Holy Spirit Use Me?
It doesn’t just stop as ideas.
It literally extends through our hands — like it did with Jesus — where we can heal the sick and raise the dead, as the early miracle principles say.
Later, the Course adds:
“My eyes, my tongue, my hands, my feet today have but one purpose: to be given Christ, to bless the world with miracles.”
This is our purpose — to bless the world with miracles.
We can do that once we purify our minds through forgiveness. We are here to be used by Spirit as channels, as miracle workers.
This is not passive surrender — it’s active surrender.
What Does “There Is No World” Actually Mean?
Then comes the question: If there’s no world, why do we need a purpose?
Lesson 132 says:
“There is no world.”
This is the central thought the Course attempts to teach. But what does that really mean?
It means: There is no world apart from what we wish.
We must decide the world we want to see, and the world will change accordingly.
The world we see is an extension of our mind — a projection of guilt or love, depending on what we choose.
How Does My Perception Shift the World I See?
The Course isn’t dismissing our experience — it’s redirecting our perception.
The world the ego made — filled with fear, guilt, and separation — is not real because it’s not of God.
But through the Holy Spirit’s reinterpretation, that same world can be transformed into a forgiven world — a reflection of Heaven.
That is what the Course calls the real world — seen through Christ’s eyes, recognizing the eternal light in every soul.
What Does It Mean to Live “In the World But Not Here”?
Lesson 155 says:
“There’s a way of living in the world that is not here, although it seems to be.”
We’re learning to live in the world but not of it.
We don’t deny the world’s existence — we deny its false meaning.
Heaven is our home, but we bring Heaven here through forgiveness and vision.
This is how we bless the world with miracles.
What Happens When I Live by God’s Laws?
It’s essential that we walk this physical world remembering our true home in God.
We’re not here just to escape — we’re here to serve, to bring light and healing, to bless our brothers and the entire planet.
This is a divine curriculum. We must play by God’s rules — love, give, forgive, extend.
All power and strength is found in fulfilling our holy purpose because in giving, we receive.
How Does the Holy Spirit Reveal My Function?
The Holy Spirit reveals our special function — how we are meant to serve.
It’s given through His voice, revealed through His guidance, and extended through His love.
All we need to do is purify our minds and say “yes.”
But if we stay stuck on “there is no world,” we miss the reason we are here:
- to give as we’ve received,
- to love as we’ve been loved,
- to bless as we’ve been blessed.
How Do I Bring Heaven to Earth?
We are meant to be conduits for God — to see the world beyond illusion and recognize Heaven shining here.
Every blade of grass, every living thing becomes a sign of God’s perfection.
We stop projecting guilt, fear, and sin — and begin projecting Heaven.
That’s how we transform our vision. That’s how we become truly helpful.
Why Can’t I Stop at “There Is No World”?
“I need do nothing” and “there is no world” are steps in the healing process — but they’re not the end.
We can’t stop there. We’re here to love, to serve, to extend miracles.
These teachings are universal spiritual laws — echoed in both the Bible and the Course.
When Jesus says, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” it’s the same truth:
We are to extend God’s love.
When the Course says, “I am the light of the world,” it doesn’t mean we deny the world — it means we bring divine light into it.
What Is My Shared Purpose in God’s Plan?
Our purpose is not something we invent — it’s given to us.
It’s revealed clearly through the Holy Spirit when we ask. He tells us how to serve, who to speak to, where to go, and what to say.
This isn’t religious dogma — it’s the living guidance of God through His voice in us.
So as we conclude, my friends:
- We are not here to withdraw.
- We have a purpose — to forgive, to give, to extend God’s love according to His voice.
- We are miracle workers.
- We are here to shine.
- We are here to serve.
That’s why the Course says:
“I am the light of the world. That is my function. That is why I am here.”
So thank you, Jen, for this question.
And thank you, listener, for your heart and your willingness.
You matter. God needs you. Your part is indeed essential.
Let us say yes to God together. Let us overlook the world of illusion and step into the forgiven world that reflects Heaven here.
And let His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven — through us.
Want to Go Deeper? Join the Tuesday Study Group
Every week, I host an A Course in Miracles Textbook Study Group.
We meet every Tuesday at 1:00 PM Eastern, beginning by sharing our miracles, our healing wins, our struggles, and our difficulties. Then, at 1:30 PM, we dive into the day’s reading together.
It’s a beautiful space where people feel heard, seen, and known — where you can ask whatever question is on your heart.
We walk with Jesus, we study with Him as our Teacher, and it truly is a beautiful, sacred experience together.
This support group is totally free — donations are welcome but never required. So simply come as you are. We welcome you. Textbook Study Group
📖 Order A Course In Miracles Here
Wishing you a beautiful, blessed weekend and week ahead.
May peace and love guide you on your journey. 💖
If this message resonated with you, feel free to share it with others.
Much love to you, Beautiful Soul. ✌️
Britney
>>> If you find this topic interesting, click here, to watch this YouTube video I posted!
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