ACIM Manual For Teachers

What are the Characteristics of God's Teachers?

The third stage through which the teachers of God must go can be called a "period of relinquishmment." If this is interpreted as giving up the desirable, it will engender enormous conflict. Few teachers of God escape this distress entirely.

There is, however, no point in sorting out the valuable from the valueless unless the next obvious step is taken.

The third step is rarely, if ever, begun until the second is complete. Therefore, the period of overlap is apt to be one in which the teacher of God feels called upon to sacrifice his own best interests on behalf of truth. He has not realized as yet how wholly impossible such a demand would be.

He can learn this only as he actually does give up the valueless. Through this he learns that...

where he anticipated grief, he finds a happy light-heartedness instead;

where he thought something was asked of him, he finds a gift bestowed on him.