Baba says, “Make the one Father your Support.“

As a Brahmin, I like to think that I am surrendered to God, that He is my world, that I fully rely on Him for everything. I even listen to and hum beautiful songs that express my dependence on Him. However, the evidence of my reliance on God is not found in what I say or sing but in my thoughts, actions and attitudes.

What is my first reaction when there is a situation? Do I worry or fret about it, do I try to find my own solution or perhaps call a friend or expert to seek advice? Do I become afraid about the future or am I quick to complain about my circumstance? These are all signs that my reliance on God or ‘surrender’ to God is not what it should be. Instead these are indicators that I have trouble trusting God. The good news is that I can grow in my dependence on Him – not by trying harder but by learning about God as He is, through the murli and by spending time with Him in remembrance.

Unless I know someone well, it’s hard to trust them. It’s the same here. Unless I know God well- His nature, His character- I find it hard to trust Him. What makes it harder is that unlike human beings, God is invisible. The murli is the most tangible form of God and by studying it, I understand how/what He thinks about Himself, about me and the world and I also get to know how He operates. When I do life with Him, that is, involve Him in my every day, I get to know Him personally– how helpful He is, how wise His counsel is, how loyal and faithful He is. So what I think about God is critically important because it is the very foundation upon which my life rests. If I don’t have an accurate understanding of who He is, my view of Him will constantly change as my circumstances change. When life is good, I will praise God and say: “Baba takes care of everything..” but when difficulties arise, my faith begins to shake. Instead of trusting God, I wonder: “Where is Baba? Why is He not doing something? Has He forgotten about me?”

When I come to know God as He is, one of the things I realize is that He never forgets His children, He will never abandon me. “Well”, I wonder, “what about when my faith is not where it needs to be?” Even when I am in doubt or low on faith, He is still faithful. Why? Because He is who He is. He is Sada Shiv, constant, He never changes. He is ever faithful, loyal, unconditional, an Ocean of Love and Compassion. I can therefore trust Him in every situation and at all times because He is not an impulsive human being who might alter His favor towards me at any moment or for any reason. Not only is He unchanging, He is also the Almighty. That is, He has the power necessary to bring about whatever He has promised. And what He has promised is that He will change me from a degraded human into an elevated deity, that He will make me into the master of the world. He is also knowledgefull– that is, He has complete knowledge and insight into my life and thereby knows exactly what I need. His commitment to us as His children never changes- even if our circumstances tempt us to doubt Him.

In fact, situations and difficulties are how I learn to depend on God. I can be quite self-sufficient until a situation comes along. Then, I turn to the only One who can help- God! Although I might not understand what He is doing, when I look back, I am able to see how He guided me and strengthened me. The more I reflect back and see all the evidence of how much He has cared for me, all I can say is: “Baba is Baba! He is faithful all the time.” I realize that there is no one more trustworthy than God. Nothing and no one in this world is absolutely reliable no matter how well-intentioned someone may be. People will let us down, the government will let us down, the financial markets will let us down, the philosophies prove to be false. But God and His word stand forever. He is always and forever who He says He is.

If I am struggling in my spiritual life, perhaps it’s because my concept of God is too limited. He is the Unlimited Father! I need to see Him as the Almighty, unchanging (Sada Shiv) God who is in full control of me and my circumstances. He is always concerned about me- my difficulties and pain and I am never ever outside His canopy of protection. The bigger my view of God, the more unlimited my peace in both good and bad times. He is forever faithful- this is a truth that I can depend on in every situation for the rest of my life. By trusting Him, I have nothing to lose but my anxiety and fear. So, let me go ahead with full confidence and make God my one Strength and Support. Let His faithfulness shape how I think, act and respond to the hardships in life. When my focus shifts from my circumstances to God, everything else dwindles in comparison to His great faithfulness.