T. 17. V. 5 – 8. Jesus: “Would it not be kinder to ‘more slowly’ shift the goal of your relationship from un-holiness to holiness, rather than in the sudden deeply-felt experience of the holy instant? No, this would not be helpful, for the sharp contrast with the ego’s goal would then be obscured, and the ego given time to reinterpret each slow step for its own defense.
Only a radical shift in purpose can induce a complete change of mind about what the whole relationship is for! As this change develops and is finally accomplished, it grows increasingly beneficent and joyous. But at the beginning, the situation is likely to be experienced as quite precarious!
Consider this: A relationship undertaken by two individuals for their separate, unholy, special purposes, suddenly has holiness for its goal. As these two contemplate the state of their relationship from the point of view of this new purpose, they are inevitably appalled! Their perception of the relationship may even become quite disorganized. And even the former organization of their perception no longer serves the new purpose they have agreed to meet.
This is the time for faith! You have let this new and greater goal be set for you. That itself was an act of faith! Do not abandon faith now that the rewards of faith are just starting to be introduced! If you believed the Holy Spirit was there to accept the relationship when you brought it to the holy instant, why now would you not still believe that He is there to purify what He has taken under His Guidance?
Have faith in your brother in what but seems to be a trying time! The goal is already set. And your relationship now has sanity as its purpose. Now you find yourself in what had been an insane relationship, recognized as such in the light of its new goal of holiness.
The ego senses threat and counsels thus: ‘Substitute for this another relationship, to which your former goal would still be quite appropriate! You can escape from your distress, but only by getting rid of this brother! You need not part entirely if you choose not to do so. But in order to save your ego’s notion of sanity, you must exclude major areas of ego fantasy from this relationship, for your brother is no longer satisfied with fantasy.’ Listen not to this unholy nonsense! Have faith in Him Who answered you. He heard your invitation! Has He not been very explicit in His answer? You are not now wholly insane!
Can you deny, that in your experience of the holy instant, the Holy Spirit has given you a most explicit statement? Now He asks for your faith a little longer, to carry you through your temporary bewilderment. For this will go, and you will see the justification for your faith emerge to bring you shining conviction. Abandon Him not now, nor your brother! This relationship has been reborn as holy!
Accept with gladness now what you may find somewhat bewildering, and let it be explained to you as you perceive His purpose work in your relationship to make it holy. You will find many opportunities to blame your brother for the ‘failure’ of your relationship, for it will seem at times to have no purpose. A sense of aimlessness will come to haunt you now and then, and to remind you of all the ways you once sought for satisfaction, and thought you found it in the guise of that special relationship.
Forget not now the misery you really found but tried to cover up, and do not try to breathe life into your faltering ego! For your relationship has not been disrupted. It has been saved!”