Lesson 87 is a review lesson, bringing together two earlier ideas:

1. *“I will there be light.”*

2. *“There is no will but God’s.”*

These two ideas are like two sides of the same coin. One speaks of your personal will—“I will there be light”—and the other speaks of the only real Will that exists—“There is no will but God’s.” Together they gently correct the core confusion of the ego: that you have a private, separate will that can oppose God.

I. The Core Teaching

1. “I will there be light.”

In ACIM, “light” symbolizes truth, love, peace, and the awareness of God’s Presence. When you say, “I will there be light,” you are not trying to create light. You are aligning your mind with what is already true. You are saying:

“I choose to see as God sees. I choose to remember what is real.”

The ego’s basic claim is:

“I can think my own thoughts, have my own separate will, and define reality for myself.”

From this belief comes all fear, guilt, and conflict.

“I will there be light” is a gentle refusal of that claim. It is the decision to stop using the mind to make darkness (judgment, attack, separation) and to let it be used for what it was created for: extending love.

The ego tries to hide that you want the light. It tells you:

• Light will expose your sins.
• Light will demand sacrifice.
• Light will take away your individuality and freedom.

The Holy Spirit reveals the opposite:

• Light shows you you are innocent, not guilty.
• Light reveals that nothing real can be threatened.
• Light restores your true freedom: the freedom to love and be loved without fear.

So when you say, “I will there be light,” you are really saying:

“I want to remember my innocence and the innocence of everyone. I want to see beyond appearances to the truth.”

2. “There is no will but God’s.”

This idea goes even deeper. It says that what you really are has never left the Will of God. There is not a “you” with a small will and a “God” with a big will, battling each other. That conflict is only a dream.

The ego is built on the belief in separate wills:

• My will vs. your will.
• My will vs. life’s circumstances.
• My will vs. God’s Will.

From this belief come all struggles:

• “I want this, but life won’t give it to me.”
• “I want peace, but other people keep disturbing me.”
• “I want love, but I’m afraid of losing myself.”

The Holy Spirit reveals that your true will and God’s Will are identical:

You both will perfect peace, joy, and love.

You both will your complete safety and happiness.

So “There is no will but God’s” means:

• Any thought of conflict, fear, or guilt is not your *real* will.
• Any desire that brings pain is not your true desire.
• Your heart is actually aligned with God, even when your thoughts seem confused.

The ego tries to hide this by convincing you that:

• God’s Will is dangerous.
• God’s Will means loss.
• God’s Will will take away what you love.

The Holy Spirit reveals:

• God’s Will is your happiness.
• What you truly love cannot be taken from you.
• Only illusions of love (specialness, possession, control) are threatened, never love itself.

II. Applied to Daily Life

Let’s bring these ideas into ordinary situations.

1. Relationships

Suppose you’re in a conflict with a partner, friend, or family member. The ego says:

• “I need to be right.”
• “They’re the problem.”
• “If I forgive, I’ll be weak or taken advantage of.”

In that moment, you can pause and say inwardly:

• “I will there be light.”
• “There is no will but God’s.”

You are not asking God to change the other person. You are asking to see truly. You are saying:

• “Let me see the light in this person.”
• “Let me remember that our real will is not to hurt each other, but to love.”

You might still need to set boundaries, speak honestly, or even step away from a harmful situation. But now you do it from a place of inner alignment, not attack. You are no longer trying to win; you are trying to see.

2. Work and Career

At work, you may feel:

• Pressured, anxious, or inadequate.
• Competitive or resentful.
• Afraid of losing your job or not being valued.

The ego’s story is: “My will is to succeed; life (or others) are in my way.”

Bring in the lesson:

• “I will there be light” – “I choose to see this job, these people, and myself in the light of truth.”
• “There is no will but God’s” – “My true safety and worth do not come from this job. God’s Will for me is peace, right here, regardless of outcomes.”

From this place, you may still do your best, seek a new job, or ask for a raise—but you are no longer trying to prove your worth. You are letting your actions be guided by peace instead of fear.

3. Illness and the Body

When the body is sick or in pain, the ego often says:

• “I am this body.”
• “I am being attacked by something.”
• “I am a victim of the world.”

The Course never asks you to deny symptoms or avoid practical help. It asks you to question the meaning you give them.

With this lesson, you might say:

• “I will there be light in how I see this situation.”
• “There is no will but God’s, and God’s Will is not suffering. So suffering cannot be my true destiny or identity.”

You may still take medicine, see doctors, rest, and care for the body. But you begin to loosen the identification with the body as you. You ask to see that your spirit is untouched, loved, and safe, even while the body seems to struggle.

4. Anxiety and Daily Stress

When you feel anxious:

• About money, family, the future, or the world—

The ego says:

• “I must control everything.”
• “If I don’t worry, something bad will happen.”

The lesson invites a different response:

• “I will there be light” – “I choose to see this situation in the light of truth, not through the lens of fear.”
• “There is no will but God’s” – “If God’s Will is peace, then fear is not my real will. I am not *truly* choosing this anxiety, even if it feels like I am. There is another way to see this.”

You don’t have to force the anxiety away. You simply invite light into it. You say, “Holy Spirit, show me what I’m believing that is not true. Help me see this differently.”

III. Overcoming Resistance

This lesson can stir up resistance because it challenges the ego’s central belief: “I have my own will, and it defines me.”

You might feel:

• Fear: “If there is no will but God’s, will I lose myself?”
• Anger: “What about my dreams, my choices, my individuality?”
• Sadness: “Does this mean what I want doesn’t matter?”

The Course is not asking you to erase yourself. It is revealing that your true self is far more beautiful, powerful, and loving than the small, separate self you defend.

Your resistance is not a sin; it is a fear. You can bring that fear to the Holy Spirit:

• “I’m afraid of Your Will.”
• “I’m afraid of letting go of control.”
• “I’m afraid that if I trust, I’ll be hurt.”

Then gently add:

• “Yet I will there be light. I am willing to see this differently.”

You are not asked to leap into perfect trust. You are asked for willingness. A tiny bit of willingness opens the door for the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide you.

IV. Today’s Practice (Lesson 87)

Lesson 87 is a review. You practice both ideas throughout the day.

1. Morning Practice (5–10 minutes if possible)

a. Sit quietly, close your eyes, and take a few gentle breaths.

b. Slowly repeat:

• “I will there be light.”
• “There is no will but God’s.”

c. Let the words sink in. Then reflect briefly:

• “Where in my life do I feel darkness, confusion, or conflict?”
• “I bring these areas to the light. I *want* to see them differently.”

d. Say inwardly:

• “Holy Spirit, I join my will with Yours. I will there be light in every situation today.”

Rest a moment in quiet, even if the mind wanders. Just keep returning gently to the idea.

2. Short Practice Periods (Every Hour or So)

During the day, pause for half a minute to a minute:

• If you feel upset, stressed, or tempted to judge, say:
• “I will there be light. Let me see this in the light of truth.”
• Then add:
• “There is no will but God’s. I share that Will, and It wills peace for me now.”

You don’t need to force a feeling. Just offer the situation to the Holy Spirit:

• “I place this in Your hands. Show me another way to see.”

3. Applying to Specific Situations

When something specific bothers you, use the ideas directly:

• “In this conflict with my partner, I will there be light.”
• “In this fear about money, there is no will but God’s, and God’s Will is not fear.”
• “In this illness, I will there be light, so I may remember who I really am.”

4. Evening Practice

Before sleep, take a few moments to review the day:

• Where did I remember to ask for light?
• Where did I forget and choose fear or judgment?

Without guilt, simply say:

• “I will there be light on all I experienced today.”
• “There is no will but God’s, and I rest in that Will now.”

Let the day be given back to the Holy Spirit for reinterpretation.

V. Comparable ACIM Lessons

These lessons are closely related:

• **Lesson 73: “I will there be light.”**

The original statement of today’s first idea. It emphasizes your power to choose light instead of darkness.

• **Lesson 74: “There is no will but God’s.”**

The original form of the second idea, focusing on the unity of your will with God’s.

• **Lesson 71: “Only God’s plan for salvation will work.”**

Similar in that it corrects the ego’s belief in personal plans and private salvation.

• **Lesson 72: “Holding grievances is an attack on God’s plan for salvation.”**

Shows how grievances arise from the belief in separate wills and block the awareness of light.

• **Lesson 101: “God’s Will for me is perfect happiness.”**

Makes explicit what is implied today: God’s Will is your joy, not your sacrifice.

All of these lessons dismantle the fear of God’s Will and reveal it as your own deepest desire.

VI. Closing Thought

Let today be gentle. You are not being asked to give up anything real, only illusions that have hurt you. Each time you say, “I will there be light,” you are saying yes to your own peace. Each time you remember, “There is no will but God’s,” you are remembering that Love is in charge, and that Love includes you completely.

You do not walk this practice alone. The Holy Spirit is with you in every small willingness, turning even your fear into a doorway back to the light you have always shared with God.