Lesson 25 - I Do Not Know What Anything Is For

This idea really made me pause, so I took an extra few days to reflect on it. “I do not know what anything is for.” The practice seemed way too easy at first:

“I do not know what this chair is for.”
“I do not know what this pencil is for.”

It seems simple enough—but then I asked: How could I not know what a chair, a phone, or my own hand is for? It’s pretty obvious, right? A chair is for sitting, a phone is for talking, and my hand is for holding things. But as I worked through the lesson, I began to understand that the deeper meaning goes beyond the obvious. This lesson isn’t about everyday functionality; it’s about challenging my perceptions and, more importantly, my ego’s need to control and define everything in terms of personal interests.

My Ego’s Goals vs. True Purpose

So far, the workbook makes it clear that the ego assigns meaning to everything based on how it can serve its own needs—usually rooted in separation, specialness, and control. I can see how I approach everything with preconceived ideas, tied to the last lesson where I acknowledged I don’t know what’s best for me. These ideas, I now realise, come from a place of ego-driven desires.

Take my mobile phone, for example. It’s a tool for communication, but I started questioning the real purpose behind my using it. Was I messaging a friend because I genuinely wanted to connect, or was I seeking reassurance? Was I scrolling through social media to stay informed, or was I feeding my ego’s need for distraction? This exercise has me reflecting on how much of my life is based on superficial needs, and how often I get caught up in the ego’s personal interests rather than something deeper.

A Practical Example: My Career Conflict

Right now, I’m working through some career-related issues, particularly around finances. I’ve noticed that the goals I set for myself often contradict each other. I’ve been juggling between wanting to grow my own business as a virtual assistant and the opportunity of having contracted employment for a year. At the same time, I’m craving more freedom and balance in my life. I thought I knew what each opportunity was for, but as I sat with this lesson, I realised I was attaching all these ego-driven goals to each situation. I wanted more financial security but also less stress. I wanted recognition of being successful but also craved privacy and more family time. How could I possibly achieve all of that?

This internal conflict revealed how much I don’t understand what anything is truly for. Every situation I face becomes an opportunity for me to impose my ego’s goals, thinking I know exactly what I need and how it will improve my life. But I’ve been projecting my personal desires onto everything, which only leads to frustration and confusion when those desires inevitably clash.

The Lesson’s Practice: Letting Go of My Meanings

The exercise I realise is was about letting go of the meanings I have assigned to things. I applied this to my career situation. I repeated to myself, “I do not know what this job is for. I do not know what this opportunity is for.” As I did this, it became easier to let go of my rigid expectations and open up to the possibility that there’s a bigger picture I’m not seeing.

It reminded me that just because I think I need something—whether it’s success, stability, or freedom—doesn’t mean that’s what will truly bring me peace. If I’m serious about seeking inner peace and living in alignment with forgiveness, what I’m seeking can’t be found in these external things at all. The real purpose might be to learn something deeper about myself or to open up to new possibilities I hadn’t considered before.

Like the previous lesson, I’m sitting with surrender as my word, releasing expectations about the everyday items in my life.

Trusting a Bigger Purpose

By admitting, “I don’t know what anything is for,” I make space for a greater purpose to come through. This doesn’t mean I stop taking action or abandon my goals, but rather, I stop clinging to my ego’s definitions. I trust that there’s a higher wisdom at work, guiding me toward what’s truly in my best interest, even if I can’t see it right now.

For me, this lesson is about stepping back, releasing expectations, and using everything not as a way to gain something, but as an opportunity to surrender and allow my days to unfold in ways I can’t always predict. And in that space of not knowing, I look for the little miracles.

Bibliography:

A Course in Miracles. Foundation for Inner Peace. A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume, 3rd Edition. Foundation for Inner Peace, 2007. URL: https://acim.org.