Saint Francis in Meditation by Francisco de Zurbarán

Taking the 2nd Place

"Do not attempt to lead, for you do not know the way. If you are willing to follow, He will show you." (ACIM)

Most of us live from the "first place"—believing we are separate, isolated individuals who must make all our own decisions based on what we think is best for ourselves.

Taking the second place means recognizing that what our senses perceive is illusion, not reality. Our senses tell us we're alone and separate, but separation is an illusion. Everything is one, and you are that one thing.

To take the first place is to say: "I'm on my own. I'm alone. I'm a separate, isolated individual, and I make all my own decisions based upon the knowledge that I have."

To take the second place is to say: "My senses—seeing, hearing, touch, taste—do not perceive truth; they perceive illusion. I know the reality behind this illusion. I am not alone, isolated, separate, or individuated. I am part of the whole, forever connected to the Source, which guides, leads, and instructs me always."

Jesus exemplified taking the second place throughout his entire ministry. His words consistently show complete surrender to the Father's will:

"For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me." (John 6:38)

"I do exactly as the Father commanded me." (John 14:31)

"I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me." (John 8:28)

"For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken... So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." (John 12:49-50)

"I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do." (John 17:4)

"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me." (John 5:30)

"Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." (John 5:19)

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)

To understand what this looks like in practice, imagine you have a job where every morning you have a meeting and your boss gives you instructions for what to do that day. If during this meeting you're scrolling on your phone, talking to the person next to you, or thinking about what you did yesterday or what you're going to do tomorrow, you're going to miss the instructions from your boss.

However, if you're present and actively listening, giving your boss your full attention, you will receive the instructions for the day and then know exactly what to do.

Taking the second place is about having this attitude and orientation of listening and being attentive to what you are being instructed to do.

A Course in Miracles gives us many affirmations we can use to establish this attitude of listening and receptivity. We can wake up in the morning and get into the habit of saying to ourselves:

I give my life to God to guide today,
And so I step back and let Him lead the way.
I do not know, but I am instructed by the One Who knows.
I will make no decisions by myself,
For I do not know the way to go, but I will be led.

Let me be still and listen to the truth.
The Voice of God speaks to me all through the day.

Be in my mind, my Father, through the day.
Be in my thoughts and be in my heart in all I look upon.
Let me carry out the plans that I receive
Through listening to wisdom that is not my own.

As you practice taking the second place, you'll begin to recognize how divine guidance comes to you. Here are some common ways it manifests:

Thought Impressions: A gentle thought that arises in your mind, feeling wiser or more loving than your usual thinking.

Inspired Ideas: A creative or helpful idea that appears suddenly and brings a sense of joy or clarity.

Inner Nudges: A soft pull or push within you that guides you toward or away from something, often felt emotionally or physically.

Intuitive Impulses: A deep, instant knowing of what feels right, even if you can't explain why.

Here's how this might unfold in a typical day: You wake up and, as you're having your morning coffee, say to yourself, "I give my life to God to guide today." Then the idea comes to you to tidy up your space and make it more clean and orderly. As you're doing that, you get the idea to call a friend. When you call your friend, they tell you about a certain activity they enjoyed doing recently that seems exciting for you to do, and you end up doing it that day.

This is guidance in action—one gentle prompting leading naturally to the next, creating a flow of experiences that feel meaningful and connected rather than random or forced.

What truly matters is not that you get everything right, but that your heart is sincere. You don't have to worry about whether you're perfectly hearing God's guidance or always making the right choice. With practice, your sensitivity to that guidance will grow.

What matters most is your honest intention to follow rather than lead—to let Love direct your steps. You don't need to be perfect. You don't need to have all the answers. You only need to be willing.